Dashboard Internet
Dashboard Internet by Texas Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Justin A. Hill
Currently, cell phones, texting, GPS, eating, and a whole array of gadgets and technology contribute to drivers being increasingly distracted while driving on the nation’s roadways. Now, car manufactures are toying with the idea of opening up the World Wide Web to drivers. The implications of adding this technology to vehicles could be disastrous. The New York Times reports:
Technology giants like Intel and Google are turning their attention from the desktop to the dashboard, hoping to bring the power of the PC to the car. They see vast opportunity for profit in working with automakers to create the next generation of irresistible devices. This week at the Consumer Electronics Show, the neon-drenched annual trade show here, these companies are demonstrating the breadth of their ambitions, like 10-inch screens above the gearshift showing high-definition videos, 3-D maps and Web pages. The first wave of these “infotainment systems,” as the tech and car industries call them, will hit the market this year. While built-in navigation features were once costly options, the new systems are likely to be standard equipment in a wide range of cars before long. They prevent drivers from watching video and using some other functions while the car is moving, but they can still pull up content as varied as restaurant reviews and the covers of music albums with the tap of a finger. Safety advocates say the companies behind these technologies are tone-deaf to mounting research showing the risks of distracted driving — and to a growing national debate about the use of mobile devices in cars and how to avoid the thousands of wrecks and injuries this distraction causes each year.
The dangers of texting and driving are only now becoming studied and better understood. The addition of the above technology could drastically increase the likelihood of accidents as the result of driver distraction. Driver distraction is a serious problem that can lead to serious injuries and death. If someone you know was injured or killed as the result of a distracted driver, texting while driving accident, or accident involving someone using their phone encourage them to immediately contact a competent attorney for advice. It is extremely important to do this quickly to ensure that evidence is preserved, statements are taken, and the rights of all claimants are protected.
