Vehicle manufacturer Nissan is instrumenting an old-school solution for a modern problem of stoping smartphones from distracting drivers.
Nissan’s prototype Nissan Signal Shield is a compartment built into the armrest of its Juke crossover vehicle. To stop incoming and outgoing cellular, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connections, the box uses the same principles as a Faraday cage, which features a conductive material, such as wire mesh, to shield contents from electromagnetic fields. This was invented by Michael Faraday in 1836.
Now the thing is, once the compartment lid is closed, distractions such as texts, calls, message notifications, and social media alerts won’t get through. Well there can be a query that why a driver doesn’t just turn off their phone before getting into a car, there are some advantages to using the box. The reason is that not only it is quicker and easier than powering a phone on and off, the compartment contains wired connections, meaning a handset can be linked to the car’s infotainment system via USB or auxiliary ports so drivers can listen to music stored on their device, no matter if it is locked.
On the other side, re-establishing a connection with the mobile network or the car’s Bluetooth system is simply a matter of opening the lid. There no need to take the phone out of the box or even touch it.
Alex Smith, MD of Nissan Motor GB said in a statement, “Nissan produces some of the safest cars on the road today, but we are always looking at new ways to improve the wellbeing of our customers.”
“Mobile phone use at the wheel is a growing concern across the automotive industry, and indeed society, particularly with the high number of ‘pushed’ communications, such as texts, social media notifications and app alerts that tempt drivers to reach for their devices.”
“The Nissan Signal Shield concept presents one possible solution for giving drivers the choice to remove all smartphone distractions while driving. This is about delivering more control at the wheel, not less. Some drivers are immune to the activity of their smartphone, but for those who struggle to ignore the beeps and pings, this concept provides a simple solution in this very ‘connected’ world we live in,” he added.
