On January 1st the British Columbia government imposed a new law restricting drivers from using handheld devices such as cell phones and GPS units. The need to create this law and the associated fines might seem a bit surprising considering that 15 years ago hardly anyone had a cell phone and only a very small percentage of those who did had any kind of electronic messaging on them. It seems that there has been a change in people's expectations when they communicate because of the increased availability that cell phones create and tolerance for someone being "unavailable" is low. So how does someone stay connected while still being a safe and legal driver? In short we can't yet, but there are technologies to fill some of the gaps.
Bluetooth is probably the most well known and used hands free solution for cell phones. Originally designed as a wireless replacement protocol for RS232 serial connections, it uses multiple frequencies to transmit data making it more resistant to interference. Since voice data is time sensitive in that the listener can hear delays and retransmissions, Bluetooth is an excellent technology to carry voice to cell phones. Many other devices such as GPS units and computers are equipped to use Bluetooth as a unified standard for communication. Unification is the main intention of the designers as noted on Wikipedia:
"The word Bluetooth is an anglicised version of Danish Blåtand, the epithet of the tenth-century king Harald I of Denmark and parts of Norway who united dissonant Danish tribes into a single kingdom. The implication is that Bluetooth does the same with communications protocols, uniting them into one universal standard.[1][2][3] Although blå in modern Scandinavic languages means blue, during the Viking age it also could mean black. So a historically correct translation of Old Norse Harald Blátönn could rather be Harald Blacktooth than Harald Bluetooth.
The Bluetooth logo is a bind rune merging the Germanic runes (Hagall) and (Berkanan)."
Many cell phones and GPS devices use speech recognition to dial numbers and enter destination addresses. Combined with Bluetooth earpieces or microphones built into cars, they can be used with very little manual interaction. In fact, some devices such as the Apple iPhone and RIM BlackBerry also have available applications to read emails aloud. Speech recognition for dictating emails and text messages is in limited use on some devices as well.
I personally find it difficult not to pull out my BlackBerry when a message comes in, but the new law has not only made me think about the possible fines associated with succumbing to this distraction, but also the danger to myself and others. If society doesn't allow us to revert to being unavailable when we're driving, then hopefully technology will quickly come to our aid and keep us safe on the roads.
For more information on Bluetooth visit Wikipedia or the official Bluetooth site below.
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