Daily Arizona news for Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale

It seems like this could reduce accidents due to distracted cell phone users ...

"With concerns mounting over the safety of cell phone use while driving, Motorola’s Driving Simulator Lab in Tempe is testing mobile phones that can analyze driving conditions and avoid distracting the driver.

The device, called a "polite" phone because it helps the user drive politely, has been researched and tested for about two years, and Motorola is ready to discuss the project publicly, said Mike Gardner, director of intelligent systems research.

The software programmed into the phone can detect if the car is parked or cruising or in complex driving situations. If the car is parked, all incoming calls are are allowed through to the speaker phone. It also senses if the driver has entered the car and automatically transfers any ongoing calls to the speaker phone.

If the car is cruising on the highway, the only calls that are accepted are those from a pre-programmed phone book list — the ones the user wants to go through. All other incoming calls are routed to voice mail."   continued ...   (Via East Valley Tribune)

Looking for trouble.