Nissan Signal Shield aims to stop in-car Smartphone use
Nissan has revealed the Signal Shield prototype as a way to stop drivers from using Smartphones in the car, using Victorian tech with a Faraday Shield.
But it now seems, as the Nanny State starts to shout that Smartphones in cars are really dangerous, car makers are turning to rather older technology to try and stop us using our phones in the car.
The Nissan Signal Shield is a prototype of a device to stop you using your phone in the car, although the technology used is so old it can only be the design that’s a prototype.
In fact, the Signal Shield is just a metal box posing as a centre armrest in a Nissan Juke, and a metal box acts as a Faraday Cage and blocks all signals to the phone. So you phone won’t work.
Of course, you could just turn the phone off if you can’t trust yourself not to try and text and troll whilst driving. And if you do text and keep your social media updated whilst driving, you deserve nicking.
Alex Smith, Nissan GB MD, said:
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.
This is all getting a bit silly, with drivers now being fined £1,000 and six points for using a phone at the wheel even when stationary in a traffic jam. Why?
But not to worry, with the rise of the autonomous car we’ll all be banned from actually driving a car within a generation, because the state will declare it too unsafe, so you’ll be able to use your phone to your heart’s content – as a passenger.
Pete says
If the metal box/arm rest is the Faraday cage then all you need to do is remove the phone from the box and it will still work. Surely the chassis of the car would have to be the Faraday cage to prevent the phone from working while the driver is driving? From what Nissan have said you might as well just throw it in the glove box where it will be out of reach.
Cars UK says
Frankly, if you’re so weak-willed you can’t resist tweeting and texting when you drive, then just turn the phone off or stick it in flight mode. Job done. And if you can’t do that, you’re hardly going to stick it in Michael’s metal box!