US road safety regulators want smartphone makers to “lock out” devices and some apps when users are driving. New guidelines also urge “driving mode” to be added to phones’ menus as the government seeks to reduce crashes. Federal auto safety regulators have called on Apple, Samsung and other popular smartphone manufacturers to design their devices so that they can “pair” with car systems.
When paired with a vehicle, a phone could automatically block videos not related to driving, text scrolling, access to photographs, books and texting. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which issued non-binding guidelines, also wants phone-makers to add “driving mode,” analogous to the already existing “airplane mode,” although it would turn on automatically. It would provide “a simplified interface” when the device is being used unpaired while its owner is driving. READ MORE
