The latest patent by Apple could decrease the amount of distractions you face while driving. On Thursday 23 March, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) released an Apple patent application that will decrease the amount of notifications you receive on your iPhone and Apple Watch while you’re on the road.
According to the site Patently Apple, the application will need a wearable device to work as something such as the Apple Watch will determine motion clues to detect whether or not you’re behind the wheel. If detected correctly, it will then reduce your notifications. Recent studies have found that those who are distracted by their phones while driving have the potential to be as dangerous as drunk drivers and because of this, new laws have recently come into action to penalize those who are found texting or even holding their phones while driving.
This new patent’s aim to temper the behavior of your Apple Watch will hopefully take away the temptation of checking your phone when you see/hear a notification. The patent also describes a possible feature that will ignore your command to see a notification if you’re still driving and wait until you’re no longer operating a vehicle before it responds to you. Some information may be able to be transferred elsewhere, such as an in-dash notification or through your speakers which may help those who use their smartphones and wearables for the purpose of navigation.
It’s unclear as to whether or not this patent will eventually reach Apple Watches and iPhones but it will almost certainly improve the driving experience.
