The U.S. Department of Transportation wants phone makers to make it harder for drivers to use their smartphones when behind the wheel.
The NHTSA today published new guidelines for phone and car makers that it believes will help cut back on instances of distracted driving. Specifically, the government wants phones to more proactively go into driving mode and to pair more seamlessly with cars’ in-dash nav systems.
Driving mode typically simplifies the user interface so it isn’t as hard to use while driving. Driving mode also limits what features are available to the driver. Pairing would automatically connect phones to cars and route info through the in-dash system, which is often safer to use. Drivers would still be able to make calls and use navigation, but not enter text, view any sort of video, browse the internet, or view text/photos from messages.
“Both pairing and diver mode will reduce the potential for unsafe driver distraction by limiting the time a driver’s eyes are off the road, while at the same time preserving the full functionality of these devices when they are used at other times,” said the government.
The initiative has been under way for some time and this step represents phase 2. The NHTSA is seeking comment from the public and industry players before moving forward in implementing the guidelines. The NHTSA says driver distraction is to blame for a 10% surge in traffic deaths over the last year.
