Nissan Showcases 19th Century Tech Meant To Stop Drivers From Using Their Phones

The system uses technology from the Victorian era, but adapts it to modern life. Nissan calls it Signal Shield, and it is just a concept of what could be offered in the future to stop humans from using their mobile phones while driving.

According to the automaker’s own research, one in five drivers admitted to using their phones to text while they were behind the wheel. You should already know that this is illegal in many countries, and wrong everywhere elese in the world because of the safety risks it poses.

While Nissan fits its models with Bluetooth connectivity to allow users to connect their phones for hands-free operation, this can still be a distraction while driving. Taking a phone call can keep your mind busy on things that are not relevant while you are behind the wheel of a vehicle, and it is best to refrain from it even in the “safer” version.

Nissan has decided to showcase its idea, the Signal Shield, for those drivers who cannot stop themselves from the temptation of learning what’s new on their phones. The idea is to use a phone-free space, which has been implemented in the arm rest of a Nissan Juke.

The latter houses a Faraday cage, which is an invention that dates back from the 1830s. It blocks off all Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Bluetooth signals, which means that the phone placed there is unreachable to anyone. It is like putting it on Airplane mode, but it is wise to use a charger with it, because some devices may use up they batteries as they “search” for service.

The driver can still get the phone connected to the vehicle for entertainment purposes, which can be accessed through the multimedia unit after connecting it with an USB or AUX cable to the car’s ports. Reestablishing contact with the outside world will be done by simply lifting the lid of the arm rest, which interrupts the effects of the Faraday cage.