This Device Claims It Lets You Text and Drive Safely (Nope)

A device that’s now being listed on Indiegogo claims it can solve this problem and still let you use the phone while driving without increasing the risk of accidents.

Built as a wireless mobile controller, the device attaches to your steering wheel and then connects to the mobile phone with a USB Type-C cable. This means the wireless connection can be used for other purposes, such as talking on the phone.

The controller allows you to use the phone, such as browsing through its menus, opening apps, and even launching a browser without even touching the screen.

The device comes with three buttons to move and click, scroll, and return, and comes with a built-in bracket to attach it to the steering wheel. It’s made from ABS and features its very-own battery, but given it only uses a USB Type-C connector, it can’t be connected to an iPhone, but only to Android devices.

While the Indiegogo page where the device is supposed to receive crowdfunding support claims you don’t have to look at the phone to interact with it, I seriously doubt it. Given it’s essentially a controller, this device allows you to browse the smartphone’s menus just like you’d do with a finger, so when interacting with apps, there’s no other way to use them other than looking at the screen.

And this is why this device is still a big no-no, despite being based on an interesting idea. Controlling your phone without touching it could be useful in a series of scenarios but doing it while driving is still not recommended unless you’re 100 percent sure you don’t have to look at the screen.

Not even voice commands solve this problem, as drivers still tend to take a peek at the phone to see what’s on the display.

The creator of this controller wants to raise some $16,000 to begin the mass production of the device.