We’ve said it before, we’ll undoubtedly say it again, but distracted driving is bad. No matter how “good” you think you are at using your cell phone while driving, you’re playing with fire. Companies have been trying to come up with innovative new ways to solve the distracted driving problem. The Nissan Signal Shield prototype applies a very old-school solution to a decidedly new-school problem.
We’ve talked about RFID-blocking products, as well as reviewed blocking items that create a Faraday cage. The Nissan Signal Shield works using those same principles. Built into the armrest, phones placed into the shielded compartment would have all wireless signals blocked. Simply drop your phone in before you start driving, and drive completely un-distracted — by your phone at any rate.
In the video posted by Nissan UK, we see the Signal Shield installed in a Nissan Juke. We’re reminded just how bad distracted driving is (because once again, it’s bad, don’t do it), and shown a bit about the Signal Shield. Now, blocking the cell phone signal in the center console is fantastic, but of course there’s nothing stopping a driver from taking their phone out, thereby ruining the effect.
This isn’t a bad idea by any means, but it will again require some discipline by the driver. If it’s simply the incoming notifications that spur your curiosity, Airplane Mode is a simple alternative that could help. Or if even seeing your phone makes you want to throw caution to the wind there’s always the glove box or center console. If just knowing that your phone is in the car is enough to make you want to risk your life, there’s probably not much that even the Nissan Signal Shield would be able to do to stop you.
Just to hammer this one one final time (for now), distracted driving is bad. Seriously, don’t do it. Would the Nissan Signal Shield help you keep your eyes on the road? Does leaving the human element in control hurt the chances of it working? Tell us what you think in the comment section below, or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
