You don’t need me to tell you that texting and driving is a bad idea – it takes your eyes and mind off the road and that is a bad thing. People crash their cars when they text and drive. Don’t do it.
But really, me saying that can’t literally stop you from doing it, can it? There are no official mechanisms in place to properly stop you from picking up your phone if you want to.
UNTIL. NOW.
Apple have implemented a feature in the new iOS 11, that means that, whenever your phone is connected to your car using Bluetooth or a cable, it’ll withhold any notifications. If you do happen to get a text (which, come on, is unlikely), then you can set your phone to send out an automatic message saying something like: “Sorry, I’m driving,” or “I AM DRIVING IN MY CAR BEEP BEEP BOP BOP BOOP BOOP BEEP IT’S NOT QUITE A JAGUAR.”
The screen will also be locked, preventing the driver from using any other distracting apps, although if you’re in the passenger seat, you’ll have the option to disable the lock so that only you can stalk the driver’s mum on Insta or whatever it is you kids do on your phones nowadays.
“But what about maps?” you screech, as you do your third u-turn and drive straight through the front of a Morrisons. Well, certain apps work as exceptions to the rule, albeit with limited features.
This includes Apple CarPlay, which enables you to hear text messages read out to you, and to respond with your voice. So, if your mate texts you saying “What time you getting here, the bloody fucking beer’s getting warm you absolute fresher,” it’ll read it aloud in a robot’s voice and you can reply by actually shouting “I AM DRIVING IN MY CAR BEEP BEEP BOP BOP BOOP BOOP BEEP IT’S NOT QUITE A JAGUAR.”
I’m behind this fully – I never use my phone while driving (too busy eating cereal), but a dangerous amount of people do. Putting obstacles in place is a much-needed way forward, I rate. Stay safe.
