Distracted Driving Is Taking A Back Seat Thanks to NEC Technology

Technology company NEC has debuted some of its newest developments in combating the issue of distracted driving due to cell phone use.

One of the ways in which this technology works is by sensing whether or not the individual (or in this case, the cell phone) is currently moving and how fast he or she is moving. Based on the data collected, the software then makes the determination whether or not the user is in a car, train, walking or at rest and routes the call accordingly.

Based on the method of travel, the phone can then automatically “decide” to route the call to voicemail or through text message to alert the user to the phone call in a less distracting fashion. NEC expects to debut this technology at the Mobile World Congress in coming days and plans to have this technology ready for release in June 2012.

NEC claims that this technology will lead to a reduced instance of accidents and fatalities caused by using the phone while driving. The company believes that this technology will be able to accomplish what other technologies and pieces of legislation have failed to do: namely, reducing the use of cell phones while behind the wheel.

There are some, however, that are cringing at the thought of a device maker including such technologies, saying that they will ultimately restrict the ability of the user to use the cell phone in a variety of circumstances where the device may deem it unnecessary but the moment may call for it.

While the company is not claiming that the technology will be all-encompassing and without override mechanisms and it currently only involves incoming calls, there is possibility that in years to come, such technologies will be mandated in the construction of all cell phones. This would obviously be a boom for NEC if its technology is used in the process.