There’s no argument about the fact that cellular devices have countless benefits. They make communication easier than ever, and are now used for 88% of searches. Additionally, a poll by the Medical Group Management Association found that 90% of medical practices use reminders to help prevent missed appointments, and many times, text messages are the reminder method of choice.
However, one of the biggest concerns for smartphone users is the risk of distracted driving. And Apple is hoping to drastically reduce the number of incidents of distracted driving with a new feature called “Do Not Disturb While Driving.”
According to CNN, the feature will launch with the release of iOS 11 and is activated when the phone is connected via Bluetooth or USB to the vehicle or if the car is in motion. When in use, the user will not be able to see any incoming text messages or other distracting notifications.
This update seems exceedingly useful considering the fact that five seconds is the average time someone’s eyes are off the road while texting, which is about the length of a football field when traveling at 55mph.
The feature also includes the ability to auto-respond to any incoming messages that communicate to the sender that the user is driving and cannot text back at the moment.
To eliminate the urge for drivers to engage in other distracting activities on their mobile devices, the feature automatically locks the screen to prevent them from using many other apps.
Navigation apps are still accessible while the function is activated, but some third party apps may not work as easily as Apple Maps, Apple’s navigation app.
If you’re just a passenger, don’t worry — you’ll have the option to let the feature know so that you can use your device as normal.
The news of the update was released by Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose.
“It’s all about keeping your eyes on the road. When you are driving you don’t need to be responding to these kind of messages…we think this is going to be a real important step in safety in the car,” he said.
