Topics: Mobile

DriveAssist Stops Incoming Calls While Driving, Aims To Save Lives

Posted by Eric Zeman, Oct 14, 2008 05:03 PM

New software from Aegis Mobility will block inbound calls and text messages when it determines that a cell phone is in a moving vehicle. It can be used to mitigate distractions for teens, as well as your employees who need to drive while on the job.

The distraction is real. Just last month in California, 25 people were killed when a train engineer missed a signal because he was busy sending text messages rather than operating the train with his full attention.

More and more states are enacting hands-free laws or outright banning the use of mobile phones while driving. Talking, texting, e-mailing, and surfing with the Web when behind the wheel of a car is asking for trouble, and often leads to accidents that can claim lives. Aegis Mobility is hoping to stop the loss of life due to phone-related driver distraction.

Aegis Mobility's DriveAssist software running on the subscriber's mobile phone automatically determines the driving context of the user. Once it's sure that you're driving, the software signals to the Aegis ContextEngine that you're in motion. All calls and all text messages outbound are then mediated from the mobile network, except for 911 calls, which are automatically accepted.

All inbound calls are captured and mediated, so you won't miss any calls. They'll just be delayed. Same goes for text messages -- they also will be routed to the mobile network and returned to the user once the user stops moving. It permits users to set up an accepted list of approved callers who can break through to deliver an audio message to the user (e.g., parent wishing to contact their son/daughter). Optionally, users as passengers can choose to override DriveAssist and accept incoming calls and place outbound calls without interruption.

If your business or organization has employees who are often on the road, using services such as DriveAssist can reduce the frequency of automobile or truck accidents due to distractions from mobile communications.

Right now, DriveAssist only supports Windows Mobile and Symbian-based phones. It is hoping to offer its service directly through wireless network operators starting in 2009.

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