Nissan puts Signal Shield to reduce smartphone distraction at the wheel

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As we all know, using a smartphone while driving a car can be quite a dangerous thing. And we all know why we should pay attention to the road, not to the phone, right? A recent study confirmed that even using a hands-free system can be just as distracting for drivers as holding the phone to the ear, not to mention texting while driving. Of course, there are some apps available that claim to reduce the distraction (as for example Samsung’s “In-Traffic Reply”), but their effectiveness is still to be proved in practice. Nissan, however, has another idea – the company bets on a special compartment that blocks mobile phone signals.

The company’s concept solution is called Signal Shield and represents a modified armrest compartment, covered with conductive wire mesh material, which blocks all cellular, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi signals, thus preventing the drivers from being distracted by their smartphones. Basically, it is a modern incarnation of the good old Faraday cage, discovered in the 19th century, and maybe is just as effective, as we can guess after watching the video that Nissan UK has posted recently in Twitter. 

So far, it is an entirely conceptual product that Nissan demonstrates with its Juke cars, but we don’t know yet if the company will offer it in its vehicles soon … or at all. Take a look yourself and, if you wish, share your thoughts about Nissan's “invention”:

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