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FeedSource: [CNET]

Time: 2017-05-03 14:30:07 UTC

Original URL: https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/nissan-goes-very-old-school-to-reduce-distracted-driving/#ftag=CAD590a51e [cnet.com] using UTF-8 encoding.

Title: Nissan goes (very) old school to curb distracted driving - Roadshow

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Nissan goes (very) old school to curb distracted driving - Roadshow

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story [cnet.com]:

Sometimes, we all need to unplug. But Nissan [soylentnews.org]'s "new" distraction-mitigating cabin tech might be taking things a bit too far.

The Japanese automaker's latest concept is called Signal Shield, and it relies on a 180-year-old creation -- the Faraday cage [wikipedia.org]. A Faraday cage uses conductive material to block electromagnetic fields. Installed in a Nissan Juke [cnet.com]'s center console, it's capable of blocking all communications to the phone, whether it's Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or regular ol' phone signals.

Thanks to its conductive properties, a Faraday cage blocks electromagnetic signals, preventing them from leaving or entering the cage.

Obviously, the goal is to prevent distracted driving. And it succeeds to that end, because a phone that can't do anything isn't going to distract a driver. Owners will still be able to use the phone through the infotainment system, thanks to a wired connection inside the center console.

If you're waiting for an important phone call, Signal Shield probably isn't the best idea. Thankfully, if you need to make a quick phone call from the road, all it takes is opening the center console to restore full phone functionality.

Nissan Signal Shield is just a concept for now, but it's interesting nevertheless. For years, automakers have integrated technologies that make it easier to use a phone without actually wielding the device. In the event you need a more heavy-handed approach to reducing distraction, Signal Shield is one way to do it.

Or you could just head over to Amazon and buy a Faraday cage for less than $10 and keep it in your glovebox. That's always an option, too, even though it's far less elegant.

-- submitted from IRC

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