Nissan solution to stopping phone use when driving.

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Nissan solution to stopping phone use when driving.

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frankv

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#1775670 4-May-2017 16:02

joker97:

The phone may know it's in a car, it may think it knows who its owner is, but it will never know who's driving, nor who's in possession of itself.

"Never" is a bit strong.

For example, you could include thumb-print sensors on the car start button (or steering wheel), plus a thumb-print sensor on the phone (as some already have). If the car/phone is in motion and thumb-prints are for the same person, then disable the phone. Unless it is mounted in the car, of course.

Whilst this really isn't viable at the moment (my Galaxy S6 thumb sensor is so unreliable, I normally unlock it by the pattern-swipe thing), I'd say it could be viable within 5-10 years.

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#1775672 4-May-2017 16:06

frankv:

joker97:

The phone may know it's in a car, it may think it knows who its owner is, but it will never know who's driving, nor who's in possession of itself.

"Never" is a bit strong.

For example, you could include thumb-print sensors on the car start button (or steering wheel), plus a thumb-print sensor on the phone (as some already have). If the car/phone is in motion and thumb-prints are for the same person, then disable the phone. Unless it is mounted in the car, of course.

Whilst this really isn't viable at the moment (my Galaxy S6 thumb sensor is so unreliable, I normally unlock it by the pattern-swipe thing), I'd say it could be viable within 5-10 years.

I don't get it. The phone may still think it knows who's driving, but putting some random prints on it, like my big toe* which is listed as Bill on the contacts, it will be tricked to think Bill's driving but actually it's my big toe for example. Unless the phone is conscious and intelligent it will NEVER know. NEVER.

I'm assuming you didn't mention passengers faking it because you are driving alone. You could also use your nipple, other toes, some other person's thumb that you brought from Nigeria, etc

Aredwood

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#1775933 4-May-2017 22:02

What if you need to make an emergency call while driving, or a call to *555? The phone would need a whitelist of numbers that are allowed to be called while driving. And I have had incidents where I have reported cattle wandering on the road to *555, and the police have called me back soon after to get more information. These callbacks have come from normal cellphone numbers - presumably the cellphones that had been issued to the officers that were assigned to respond to those incidents. If my phone had blocked incoming calls by default, how would the Police have been able to get back to me?

And how do you block all of the free calling apps from being used to make calls while driving? And people with root access on their phones who would just disable the program that checks if you are driving or not.

And then there is considering what other methods are better used to lower the road toll. More clampdowns on drink driving would be a good start. Why not have sensors in cars that detect alcohol. And prevent the car from being started. Or if already started, slowly lower the top speed of the car until it reaches zero. As a safe means of forcing a drunk driver to stop.

And tightening up the driver licensing system would also be welcome. Lots of drivers on the roads who haven't had to do a practical test in many decades. Would be quite a lot who haven't done a practical test in over 50 years.

What's the likelihood that Nissan managed to get a patent on this, And is hoping to get some royalties before someone invokes "prior art".

Wade

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#1775939 4-May-2017 22:29

Most car manufacturers are using android auto/apple car play as a selling feature..... ummm not sure how to successfully market this and phone blocking all in the same car?

Geektastic

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#1775978 4-May-2017 23:31

ubergeeknz:

Geektastic:

Wouldn't be too hard to require car makers to install a thing that phones detect and enter driving mode.

What of passengers?

They may have to manage without using a phone for a while. Radical I know...

Geektastic

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#1775983 4-May-2017 23:37

Wade:

Most car manufacturers are using android auto/apple car play as a selling feature..... ummm not sure how to successfully market this and phone blocking all in the same car?

Because (assumedly) they would not block the phone paired to the system and/or would block it from calls, texts etc but not from playing music or whatever else the car systems use the phone for?

It's no different to requiring them to switch off transmission functions when flying. Eventually someone will automate that switching off of transmitting functions and politicians will grab it with both hands. They do not make logical decisions - they react. For example you can own an AR15 rifle with one kind of stock on it as a hunting rifle under NZ law. However, same rifle with a different form of stock on suddenly requires a special endorsement: no logic to it but it responded to some concern that politicians imagined they needed to respond to.

Geektastic

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#1775984 4-May-2017 23:38

joker97:

frankv:

joker97:

The phone may know it's in a car, it may think it knows who its owner is, but it will never know who's driving, nor who's in possession of itself.

"Never" is a bit strong.

For example, you could include thumb-print sensors on the car start button (or steering wheel), plus a thumb-print sensor on the phone (as some already have). If the car/phone is in motion and thumb-prints are for the same person, then disable the phone. Unless it is mounted in the car, of course.

Whilst this really isn't viable at the moment (my Galaxy S6 thumb sensor is so unreliable, I normally unlock it by the pattern-swipe thing), I'd say it could be viable within 5-10 years.

I don't get it. The phone may still think it knows who's driving, but putting some random prints on it, like my big toe* which is listed as Bill on the contacts, it will be tricked to think Bill's driving but actually it's my big toe for example. Unless the phone is conscious and intelligent it will NEVER know. NEVER.

I'm assuming you didn't mention passengers faking it because you are driving alone. You could also use your nipple, other toes, some other person's thumb that you brought from Nigeria, etc

You buy odd souvenirs...!

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#1776047 5-May-2017 09:19

* Bring

BlakJak

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#1776942 6-May-2017 19:46

I spent sub-$100 like 8 years ago to get a bluetooth hands-free system and a basic cradle for my phone and a charging cable. My phone goes in the cradle, which allows me to interact with it within the law (brief interactions to use Navigation, or voice commands, or to skip music tracks).

The number of drivers I see actively flouting the law makes it obvious - it doesn't matter what innovations are made, drivers using their phones are making a deliberate decision to be careless (and break the law no less) and it's not particularly expensive nor inconvenient to be legal and safe.

FWIW I disagreed with the cellphone-while-driving law-change in NZ (it's distraction that's the problem, not phones) but I still went out and spent my own money to ensure I could operate legally. At $10 per year, it's not really expensive. Laziness or ignorance remain. And when half the offenders I see are deliberately trying to avoid being seen by keeping the phone on their lap or below the level of their dashboard (and usually failing) ignorance of the law is clearly not the problem.

Education remains the key. Phones should go into holders, they should continue to provide usefulness (integrating with the car is great)... but the driver has to remain focused on their primary task (driving) at the expense of all other things (including not only text messages & Facebook, but also changing radio stations, shouting at their kids in the back seat, etc etc).

No signature to see here, move along...

Geektastic

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#1777000 6-May-2017 21:53

BlakJak: I spent sub-$100 like 8 years ago to get a bluetooth hands-free system and a basic cradle for my phone and a charging cable. My phone goes in the cradle, which allows me to interact with it within the law (brief interactions to use Navigation, or voice commands, or to skip music tracks). The number of drivers I see actively flouting the law makes it obvious - it doesn't matter what innovations are made, drivers using their phones are making a deliberate decision to be careless (and break the law no less) and it's not particularly expensive nor inconvenient to be legal and safe. FWIW I disagreed with the cellphone-while-driving law-change in NZ (it's distraction that's the problem, not phones) but I still went out and spent my own money to ensure I could operate legally. At $10 per year, it's not really expensive. Laziness or ignorance remain. And when half the offenders I see are deliberately trying to avoid being seen by keeping the phone on their lap or below the level of their dashboard (and usually failing) ignorance of the law is clearly not the problem. Education remains the key. Phones should go into holders, they should continue to provide usefulness (integrating with the car is great)... but the driver has to remain focused on their primary task (driving) at the expense of all other things (including not only text messages & Facebook, but also changing radio stations, shouting at their kids in the back seat, etc etc).

Agreed. I use a Plantronics Voyager headset that says "Call from (insert name if it is in your contacts): Answer or ignore?" when the phone rings. Easy. Or I switch the phone to flight mode. Let them leave messages and I will get them later. I'm not on call so it hardly matters.

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