DriveAssist blocks calls while you're driving

Despite the public shame of driving around with a cell phone jammed against your face and the growing number of laws against it, people just can't stop dialing and driving, it seems. Could the next step be technology that actually disables your cell phone while you're on the road?

A Canadian outfit called Aegis Mobility proffers this new system, called DriveAssist (not "DriveAssistT," a typo which is widely being re-reported), which stops calls while your car is in motion. It doesn't block calls through any sort of electromagnetic shielding or jamming system, it's actually considerably simpler: When your car is moving, the system simply tells your wireless carrier to hold incoming calls and texts and blocks outgoing messages as well. When you stop, the calls come through normally. The advantage to such a system vs. a crude jammer is that your caller receives a notice that you're on the road and unable to receive calls, rather than just going to voice mail automatically. Reportedly they can also bypass the restriction by pressing a button to go into "emergency mode" (which I'm sure would never, ever, be abused). The software will work with Windows Mobile and Symbian phones, at least to start.

In the wake of news that cell phones cause seven percent of crashes or near-crashes, and the devastating train accident last month that killed 25 people due to the driver's text messaging, interest in technologies that can prevent people from using gadgets while behind the wheel is at a fever pitch. But as CNN notes, no matter how risky we all know it is it's a difficult habit to break: Even David Teater, the father of a child who was killed in a car accident by a driver on his cell phone, says he can't bring himself not to answer when the phone rings. DriveAssist is his innovation.

I'm torn on the technology: I worry that important or emergency calls could be missed even with the "bypass" feature, but I tend to agree that the benefits of avoiding accidents outweigh the inconvenience and risk of missed calls. One idea, though, really sells it for me: At least one insurance company says it will offer discounts of up to 10 percent for customers who use the program. Save money and maybe save lies, too? I'm sold.