Ford's Do Not Disturb Feature Kills Texting

With more and more states in the US putting an end to all that texting orgies behind the wheel, manufacturers of both phones and vehicles are trying to find a way around the prohibitive measures. In Ford's case, the problem is being solved with the addition of the Do Not Disturb feature to block incoming calls and texts on the MyFord Touch-equipped vehicles.

Yes, we know, that's not quite a solution for people who still want to text. But, at least, they won't feel the need to text. Do Not Disturb allows drivers to decide how many calls and messages they receive, so at least the temptation is out of the way.

“Text messaging has become the default communications method for consumers of all ages,” John Schneider Ford multimedia and infotainment engineering head said in a statement.

“The power of SYNC voice control combined with Ford’s latest connectivity improvements will reduce the temptation to pick up the phone and take your eyes off the road, providing a safer solution for the use of mobile devices in the car.”

So, sorry kids, Ford is not trying to find a way around the prohibitive measures, but one which will enforce them. Truth be told, we can't but commend them for doing so, especially because 27 percent of American adults and 26 percent of teens admit to texting while driving.

“Ford believes drivers should keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel and was the first automaker to support a proposed federal ban and state-level legislation banning hand-held texting while driving,” said Ford.

Yet, since the carmaker lives off its customers, it can't ignore the need to communicate, so the text message readback feature is still there. For now...