In 2013, texting while driving was listed as the number one cause of death among teens in the U.S. A recent Pew Research study found that 40 percent of all American teens admitted to being in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put others in danger.
But fear no more, this is an epidemic technology has the ability to cure. T.J. Evarts, a 20-year-old inventor, unveiled a novel solution to help put texting drivers on the radar. Deemed the Smart Wheel, the device is designed to fit over the steering wheel of standard vehicles and track whether or not the driver has two hands on the wheel at all times.
When we’re first taught to drive, we learn to place both hands on the wheel in the traditional 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions. But after receiving our licenses, many of us begin driving with only one hand on the wheel and often the other on our cellphones.
Evert’s invention tracks when drivers hold the wheel with only one hand and then alerts them with a red light and buzzing sound. When both hands are placed back on the wheel, the light turns back to green and the buzzing ceases. Smart Wheel also watches for what is referred to as “adjacent hands,” where both hands are close together near the top of the wheel, allowing the driver to type on a phone with their thumb and continue to drive at the same time.
The data collected from the device is sent to a connected app, so parents can monitor their kids or friends can keep an eye on each other. Removal or tampering of the Smart Wheel is also reported to the app.
What inspired Evarts to create the Smart Wheel was watching his friends’ driving habits and realizing that there was no real device out there to manage it. While this isn’t his first invention, it is the first to become an actual product.
Priced at $199, the all-leather Smart Wheel is expected to be released later this year.
Source: Mashable
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