Google Wear
Bill Would Ban Wearing Google Glass While Driving in West Virginia
Apparently regulators may decide that debate over whether Google Glass is causing or preventing accidents may be over before it even begins. Gizmodo reports:
Inspired by a CNET review of Glass, Gary G. Howell, a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, is introducing a bill to ban driving with Glass on. He told CNET’s Chris Matyszczyk in an email that he thinks Glass would pose the same problems as texting while driving. Howell noted that young people are more likely to be inexperienced drivers and “it is mostly the young that are the tech-savvy that try new things.”
But in arguing for the bill, Howell misses the best argument for Google Glass: it will mostly be a substitute for texting while driving. If someone is going to interact with others while driving it seems obvious that hands-free Google Glass communication will be safer than texting, as it allows you to keep looking forward at the road. As Howell points out, it will mostly be those who are young and technologically savvy, e.g. those that are probably texting already, that will wear Google Glass. This is why Google Glass might reduce accidents and deaths rather than increase them. In addition, it’s easy to imagine important information for drivers like upcoming accident or stop sign warnings to be beamed into Google Glass and similar products.
It would be wise to wait for more evidence on the effects of Google Glass on driving rather than outlaw them
Apparently regulators may decide that debate over whether Google Glass is causing or preventing accidents may be over before it even begins. Gizmodo reports:
Inspired by a CNET review of Glass, Gary G. Howell, a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, is introducing a bill to ban driving with Glass on. He told CNET’s Chris Matyszczyk in an email that he thinks Glass would pose the same problems as texting while driving. Howell noted that young people are more likely to be inexperienced drivers and “it is mostly the young that are the tech-savvy that try new things.”
But in arguing for the bill, Howell misses the best argument for Google Glass: it will mostly be a substitute for texting while driving. If someone is going to interact with others while driving it seems obvious that hands-free Google Glass communication will be safer than texting, as it allows you to keep looking forward at the road. As Howell points out, it will mostly be those who are young and technologically savvy, e.g. those that are probably texting already, that will wear Google Glass. This is why Google Glass might reduce accidents and deaths rather than increase them. In addition, it’s easy to imagine important information for drivers like upcoming accident or stop sign warnings to be beamed into Google Glass and similar products.
It would be wise to wait for more evidence on the effects of Google Glass on driving rather than outlaw them