Safer Driving Ensured by Key2SafeDrive Technology

New research has lead to the design of a gadget that stops drivers from using their mobile phones while behind the wheel of a car. Key2SafeDriving was created by the U.S. University researcher Xuesong Zhou and Dr. Wallace Curry. The gadget was designed to tame the potentially lethal habits of drivers on our roads.

A special software is loaded onto the mobile phone and a Key2SafeDriving car key will be assigned to that mobile phone. When you insert the key in the ignition, it will switch into “driving mode” and will emit a wireless signal to your phone that will block outgoing calls and texting.

Each key will be linked to a specific mobile phone, so the passengers in the car with you are still able to use their phones. Designers of the system have also implemented a “special emergency call functionality.” When this mode is activated the ring tone of the phone changes, alerting the driver to an urgent call so he can pull over and answer without creating any dangerous situations.

They say that the system is mostly aimed at parents that want to make sure that their children don't use their mobile phones while driving. If the driver attempts to use its phone while in “driving mode,” the phone will send an alert to one of the parents, notifying them that their child is trying to use the phone while he or she is behind the wheel.

The system also records a driving history that can help you get a lower insurance (if you don't use your phone that is, because if you do, we think your insurance will go up rather than down). The software is also linked to the GPS that monitors location, speed, sudden braking and the occasional running of the lights, data which will be sent every week to you insurance company to build up a “safety score”.