Nissan's low-tech solution for distracted driving is 180-years old, but effective

Nissan has design and developed a prototype device that should effectively eliminate problems and reduce accidents related to cellphone usage and distracted driving.  The device is nothing but a smartly designed armrest that fits into the automaker’s Juke crossover. However for now it is still a concept. Answering calls is indeed a growing problem when it comes to distraction-free driving. With smartphones getting smarter, and with an increased feature set, incidents related to distracted driving are expected to get even worse as the year’s go by.  Nissan using research by Nottingham Trend University, said that an average smartphone user checked their smartphones 85 times a day with quick checks of less than 30 seconds. Nissan calls it the Signal Shield concept and it basically offers the equivalent of a Faraday cage right into the arm rest of the device. Once the smartphone is place in there, all communications signals are blocked meaning that driver will be out of touch while he is driving. A Faraday cage or shield is basically an enclosure used to block electromagnetic signals.  Indeed Nissan’s smart little box, completely relies on the driver. And will only work effectively provided the driver places his/her smartphone into the box in the arm rest. Still then, once in there, there is some level of assurance that drivers will not be checking their smartphones until they stop driving and pull it out of the box.