With distracted driving legislation being a hot topic currently what with the growing popularity of smartphones and other mobile devices, provincial governments across the country are working to find a way to cut down on distraction-related accidents and make the roads safer to travel.
At the same time, businesses are grinding their own gears in order to find solutions that can provide potential customers with ways of accessing their devices safely and legally while on the road, all in the name of productivity. Some such devices include BlueTooth headsets and cell phones with hands-free calling.
Now a device called the iLane is attempting to break into that niche of devices that allows users to balance their connected careers with the safety that comes from having two hands on the wheel.
Developed by Waterloo-based Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. (IMS) the iLane (not at all related to any other products that have names beginning with a lower-case "i") is compatible with a variety of smartphones and grants users the ability to interact with their device and even manage their inboxes through simple voice commands.
"There are people with long commute times who feel that being connected to the office while on the road is a priority," said Tony Cassetta, chief operating officer of IMS. "iLane is an alternative choice that enables you to drive with both hands on the wheel, allowing you to pay attention to what's happening on the road instead of on your mobile screen."
Mounted on the dashboard, the iLane would be legal in provinces that have distracted driving laws such as the legislation pending in Ontario at the moment, or the distracted driving law put into place in Newfoundland and Labrador back in 2002.
The announcement of iLane's availability was accompanied by the results of a brief survey that described North America's growing need for constant connectivity. Some of the findings showed that connectivity was important because it helped stay in touch with work, family and friends (53 per cent of Americans, 48 per cent of Canadians), making better use of time (13 per cent of Americans, 24 per cent of Canadians) or was simply more convenient (15 per cent of Americans, Canadians).
"Whatever their reasons might be, this study shows that commuters are beginning to consider in-car connectivity a basic need," Cassetta said. "These attitudes combined with increasing pressures to stay connected are not likely to disappear, so it's important for commuters to know that there is an alternative to accessing their devices while on the road."
However, connectivity comes with a cost. The iLane retails at an initial cost of $599, with a $7.99 monthly fee. Other features include news from The Associated Press and weather updates from The Weather Network.
The iLane currently supports the BlackBerry 8000 series or phones using BlackBerry OS 4.1 and up, with more support expected in the coming year. For more information, go to www.Intellimec.com.
Error processing SSI file