Twittering on the move ‘could put lives at risk’
p2pnet news view | Mobiles:- A major US road safety group is worried Tweeting could cause serious traffic accidents.
During his keynote address at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, Ford boss Alan Mulally said the company will produce vehicles able to read Twitter out loud to owners as they drive.
But, “US Road safety group the AAA warned that the new technology could put lives at risk,” says the Telegraph.
“The more things that are going on in a vehicle, the more things can distract a driver,” it has a spokeswoman saying. “You only have so much attention to give, and we really want everyone to keep their attention on the roadway for safety reasons.”
But Doug VanDagens, Ford global director of connected services, has dismissed the concerns.
People “currently read Twitter feeds while they are driving anyway, and the new system would increase road safety by enabling motorists to keep both hands on the wheel,” the story quotes him as stating.
“We take what people do – they talk on the phone, they fumble with mp3 players, they look at maps. We take these activities and make them safer.”
Meanwhile, “The tweeter function is part of Ford’s plan to connect cars to the internet,” says the Telegraph, adding:
“Ford said drivers will also be able to stream music live from Panadora, a website similar to Last.fm. The technology, developed in partnership with Microsoft, works by connecting an on-board computer to a mobile phone with 3G internet browsing capabilities.”
..… and identi.ca
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Telegraph – CES 2010: Ford unveils Tweeting car, January 8, 2010
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