distracted driving

DMS platform stops texting while driving and helps prevent drunk driving

DMSIn this video shot at Telematics West Coast, in San Diego Marwan Hannon from Driving Management Systems Inc. shows how technology can stop phone use while driving, notify parents or the driver of alcohol level and help keep drunks off the road.

The NoComm system disables mobile devices while in the car by deactivating the keyboard of the driver’s smartphone. The DMS is a fully automated system.

The driver can still make and receive phone calls via voice or Bluetooth.  The breathalyzer detects alcohol in the air by the driver. The system then alerts the driver and or parents when alcohol is detected.

DMS could be used by insurance companies, in DUI cases and by parents.

The DMS platform will be the size of chip when it finished. Hannon shows the example of a Samsung disabled when in the area of the DMS.  A case where the system is handy is when a teenager borrows a friend’s phone to text or call, when a parent has disabled functions on the teens phone.  This system blocks out only the driver’s phone.

Hannon was inspired to create DMS from the any near misses with drivers handling devices.

Pricing will be in the range of $300 -$400 when the system is complete.

A case where DMS would have been great, happened in San Diego on Rosecrans Blvd., I noticed to young teenage girls in a BMW convertible.  They both had iPhones in their hands and they were looking at them. The driver of course did not notice me. Their attitude was “Don’t we look great.”

The DMS Platform’s NoComm sensor based system identifies, isolates and disables the driver’s mobile device (including wearables) while allowing passengers to use their mobile devices. Emergency calls still work regardless of configuration.

Currently there are apps that help stop texting while driving such as the Otter App, SafeCell 360  and AT&T.

The use of cell phones in cars can be worse than drunk driving.  This device is different from a court appointed alcohol ignition interlock device such as those made by Alcohol Countermeasure Systems Corporatio (ACS).  The devices do not let the car start unless the driver takes a breath test, by blowing into a mouth piece. Ignition interlocks are often required by judges and legislation for drivers convicted of driving while drunk. The data from the ignition interlock devices are recorded and given to the probation office.

Jake Nelson, director of traffic safety advocacy at AAA reported that first offenders convicted of drunk driving on the average have driven 80 times drunk before getting caught. Nelson says that court ordered devices cost around $200 to install and $3 a day to operate, less than a cost of a drink a day.

At the annual meeting of the APMA (Automotive Parts Manufacturer’s Association) in Canada this year, a special connected Lexus car was demonstrated with an interlock device.

The decked out connected Lexus had a ACS integrated an alcohol interlock handset directly in the car’s computer using the QNX operating system which did not require a separate electronic control unit. The alcohol measurements and driver profiles are seen and set through the infotainment unit. A parent can set levels for a teen and then get  text messages or emails with a location and the alcohol level.

In the future a version, a mobile app will allow the administrator to program interlock settings and see breath alcohol tests with GPS coordinates in real time.

Every day in America, another 28 people die as a result of drunk driving crashes. MADD is currently working to pass more legislation such as Alisa’s Law to require the use of ignition interlocks to first-time convicted drunk drivers.

dadssThe next phase of keeping drunks from driving is in the works through  DADSS Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety a program from the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to research policy challenges for more widespread use of in-vehicle technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving. The group is considering passive forms of monitoring such as touch or breath detection.

This device may fit the future guidelines of the DADSS and could prevent a multitude of unnecessary accidents and deaths.  NHTSA or DADSS could possibly make this type of device mandatory in all vehicles. TEXTING/EMAIL and any use of the mobile device while driving is estimate to cause at very  3,000 deaths and 400,000 injuries per year.

AT&T Connected Car Hackathon winners: #1 Windows Phone #2 Mojio, baby seat remote, Volvo & women winners

hackathonwninnerAT&T and many programmers converged in Las Vegas for a hackathon to program new apps for cars and beyond in only two days. The first place winner lets the driver ignore wireless calls while people calling are alerted to where the driver is. AT&T has its own automotive research facility and is heavily promoting new apps for its platforms and phone. AT&T gathered many technologies together for a total of $100,000 in prizes. Teams worked together to complete the apps and played in a Nerf battle in the middle of the night.

 

Another big automotive developer programs at Super Mobility week was the Ford App Challenge. Many of the winning apps work with the Mojio OBDII device that uses an open source system. There is one app that will actually control the car if the parent does not return when warned that a child is left in the child seat. Another app creates a caravan of Volvos where only the first car has to do the real driving.

Here are the automotive connected car app winners, finalists and one home app that prevents carbon monoxide poisoning from cars running in garages.

Geotrack Ringback the first place winner lets people calling the driver know where the driver is by using information from travel plans on Windows Phone, tablet, or PC. An audio recording that is uploaded and saved as the drivers ringback tone When someone calls, they immediately hear the current location and time to the next destination avoiding usage fees and saving time without distracting the driver. They can also follow the trip on their Windows device.

Proximity Alert came in 2nd for the cars and was the winner from Women in Tech Accelerator. Often delivery companies give the customer a four-hour time frame when a product will be delivered. When a product is being delivered the product, vehicle and customer are associated. When the vehicle with the product approaches the customer’s home, they are notified of its arrival then the customer won’t have to wait for the furniture or fridge to be delivered. The app is available for Android and it works with Mojio from the drivers

RideSafe– is the third place winner for cars. They call it an emergency alert sidekick for collision prevention, on the road and off. It also serves as your personal heart rate monitor for vitals. RideSafe detects proximity of other vehicles near yours including a bicycle.

Car Bon is was first place for the Home Challenge and prevents carbon monoxide poisoning in garages. Cars in enclosed spaces can generate high levels of Carbon Monoxide (CO). The app adds a sensor to a car that detects CO levels. When it detects dangerous levels, it shuts off the car engine and opens the garage door.

Caravan lets Volvos join a wagon train following the first driver through connected car tech. A Volvo owner declares themselves a driver, and other known Volvo owners navigate to the driver and sync to the driver’s car using Volvo’s automated driver technology and this application. The cars stay together in route following the navigation of the lead car for the remainder of the trip. Future enhancements include car-to-car intercom (to ask for stops), shared music playlists, and possibly even commuter caravans to reduce commuter traffic.

RumbleStrip completely disables the teen’s phone – no texts, Snapchats or Instagram comments to distract them. “RumbleStrip” also provides audio cues to the teen in response to common poor driving behaviors. After each drive, the teen receives a drive score. Android and Mojio.

Otto – Otto, turns your car into a buddy: one that looks out for you, maintains its own health, and has a quirky personality of its own. When your car comes alive, driving is more enjoyable, safer, and hassle free. Windows Phone

Trip Narrator – Is social narration for places while driving by. Voices tell about interesting things around. Drivers can also leave narrations for the next people who drive by. It is controlled from the dashboard with connected car integration. Trip Narrator claims to be safer because it keeps the driver engaged and awake without requiring, eyes off the road. Android & OpenCar

Connected Baby Child Seat has child presence sensor, temperature sensor, and connection to the car and to the cloud.If the child is inside the car and the temperature goes up, the controller will send an alert to the driver’s phone and will  send text and call driver gives driver remote access to the car using the Ericsson APIs (turn on hazard lights, turn on engine). If there is no response, the controller will control the car itself. Sensors are embedded in a car seat for this solution. When the child sits in the chair, temperature is measured.

MyCar’sOn? For Parents-automated alerts, the aggregated sensor data from the OBD-II car module  is seamlessly relayed to the parent when the car/home trips customizable triggers a Watch/Phones/Screens for potential followup action and/or peace of mind. If your car is suddenly turned on, the parent is notified.

Car Watcher informs the owner when the car and old phone are stolen at the same time. Leave an old device in the car and it will send a message to your other phone when something unusual happens like your car is stolen, gets run into, or a baby starts crying inside.

Pick up and Go is a smart authentication system where a wearable and app must be present before the car can be engaged. An app for parents of new drivers it apparently works only in Volvo.

Winners won monetary awards that ranged from $4,000 to $10,000, some winners received multiple awards.

Free app for teens to prevent texting while driving

SafeCell360iPhoneappSafeCell 360 is an app available to teenage drivers in the United States for the 2014/2015 year free. It enables the teens and parents to block apps, text messages, emails and monitor them.

The app provides parents the ability to limit the use of their teenage drivers access to their Android and iPhone devices while driving. SafeCell 360 is designed to run in the background and monitor for motion.

DriveSync synchs to open cloud

drivesyncIntelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc (IMS) unveiled the next generation of the DriveSync connected car platform, which now includes open cloud based architecture.

DriveSync platform now allows automotive ecosystem partners, any vehicle built after 1996 with an OBD-II ports can use connected car services using IMS plug-and-play technology with the DriveSync platform.

Texting While Driving PSAs: Watch Out Police Ticketing in CA, DE, NY & More

distractionYouTube and government agencies are showing videos in an attempt to try to get teenagers and young adults to stop texting while driving. April is  Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

In the rap video “I’m a Textpert Rap Battle” Rhett and Link rap in funky fake cars about how cool they are because they can text and drive. Guess what happens? They crash into each other. The video has over half a million views since April 7 and links to http://www.distraction.gov/.