By Andrew Liszewski
Anytime you read a headline that involves a product from Taser you probably get all excited that someone, somewhere is getting shocked. I know I definitely was, but it turns out their in-car Protector System is a lot less exciting than I’d hoped. It’s designed to prevent drivers from being distracted by their smartphones by locking down all but the simplest of functions while a vehicle is running. And it’s facilitated by a special app that’s unfortunately only available on the Blackberry and Android platforms at the moment since it relies on Bluetooth which is one of the iPhone’s weaknesses when it comes to third-party apps.
The app communicates over Bluetooth with a small dongle that attaches to your vehicle’s diagnostic port, and completely locks down the phone except for said app which provides basic functionality including voice dialing and of course 911 access. By itself it’s not a bad idea if you just can’t seem to tear your eyes away from your phone’s screen while behind the wheel, but it actually does a bit more. The dongle includes GPS and cellular functionality, complete with its own SIM card, and will keep track of a vehicle’s location as well as reporting back unsafe driving behavior (for monitoring teens) and even accidents. The downside though is that the kit runs $249.95 plus a recurring fee starting at $14.95/month if you don’t want to sign a contract. AND it can’t be used to shock anyone…
[ Taser Protector Safe Driver System ] VIA [ Popular Science ]
This is “shockingly” cool. But what's with the recurring price? I love how the Taser company takes security to new lengths and heights. When I drive, I would time to time check my phone to see if there's any missed call or text that I need to tend to. I guess Taser should've introduced a shock system where if the user of the phone touches it and clicks on message or anything that's really distracting, they get a small shock.
How is Bluetooth a weakness when it comes to third-party apps. The WakeMate for the iPhone relies on Bluetooth and works perfectly together. I don't understand where the problem would be. If WakeMate can do it, I'm sure a large company like “Taser” could as well.