back to article Nokia posts car-to-phone comms app

The Connected Car Consortium's MirrorLink technology - it allows an compatible in-car entertainment system to show what's on your phone's screen and control the handset over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB - is now available to folk with Symbian Belle devices. Nokia Car Mode app screenshot Nokia today posted an 18-quid app, Nokia …

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  1. K. Adams
    Stop

    Market forces may be the impetus for developing this technology...

    ... but governments will be the biggest exploiters of it.

    For example, here in that country West of the Big Pond, there's been talk recently -- at the Federal level -- of introducing mandatory technology that would render most cell phones' functions inoperable when in a moving vehicle:

    -- -- United States National Transportation Safety Board

    -- -- Gray Summit, Missouri Board Meeting (section "Conclusions," item #6):

    -- -- -- -- http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/2011/gray_summit_mo/index.html

    Here's the excerpt:

    "#6 Manufacturers and providers of portable electronic devices known to be frequently used while driving should reduce the potential of these devices to distract drivers by developing features that discourage their use or that limit their nondriving- or nonemergency-related functionality while a vehicle is in operation."

    The problem with these proposals is that they're (from a technology standpoint) non-discriminatory. For example, how does the vehicle's cell phone inhibition system determine that it's MY phone (since I am the driver) that needs to be deactivated, and not my passenger's phone? What if my passenger wants to borrow my cell phone to make a call while I am driving?

    Granted, distracted driving is a major problem, and has killed and injured quite a few people over the years, but no technology can be flexible enough to provide for every eventuality and exception.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      FAIL

      Trains

      And particularly if the detection is motion based how would it distinguish between a car and a train, bus or other form of motion that exceeds walking pace...

      What a totally ridiculous idea!

      1. Arbuthnot Darjeeling
        Happy

        @how would it distinguish between a car and a train...

        I'm no expert, but I reckon the gps trace would show the unit sticking to the railtracks if it were on a train, not so much if it were in a car...

        1. Grumble

          Yeah,but .....

          what if I'm a passenger in a car - or a bus?

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Then you get to talk to the driver of either and have chat and distract them just as much!

      2. David
        Thumb Up

        I would assume

        That the car would tell the mobile that it was connected to a car and thus should not be able to do x y and z. If it was connected to a train, the train would say "do what you like". Not connected? Then no restrictions.

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