Autoblog

America's cell phone laws, state by state

Scott Burgess — Fri, 25 May 2012 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

Memorial Day weekend is one of the premiere road trip holidays. According to the American Automobile Association, more than 30 million people will hit the road this weekend, averaging 642 miles each. That means, for many, crossing state lines. And nowadays, that's more confusing than ever. Speed limits may vary, but at least those are posted. Cell phone laws, however, are much more confusing.

For example, if you were driving from Michigan to Florida, you could legally text while driving in Ohio and Florida, where there are no laws banning it. But in between, it's illegal, as 38 states have laws against texting while driving.

There are 10 states where you couldn't hold my phone to my ear, as these states ban drivers from using hand held devices and require hands-free cell phone use.

Younger drivers, those with learners permits or under 18, may face stricter enforcement in some states, though it's unclear exactly how a cop can figure out someone's age at 70 miles per hour.

Of course, some cities have their own laws, as well, banning everything from texting while driving to dancing with girls. Make sure you know those laws as well. Or, just stay home, no one really wants to go to Bomont anyway. To see exactly what your state's laws are regarding cell phone use while driving, check out the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety listing or scroll through the maps in our gallery above.

America's cell phone laws, state by state originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IIHS contends cell phone bans not effective for curbing accidents

Chris Shunk — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology

It just makes sense. Cell phone usage causes accidents, so state governments and the National Transportation Safety Board should ban phone usage while driving, right? Not so, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. CNN Money reports that studies by IIHS show that phones may not be the issue.

IIHS studied crash data from states with and without the cell phone bans in place, and it determined that there has been no reduction in crash rates. IIHS spokesman Russ Rader tells CNN Money that drivers are the biggest problem, adding "focusing on phones doesn't deal with the full spectrum of things that distract."

Automakers have attempted to solve the cell phone dilemma with hands-free calling and voice-activated controls, but that technology would be banned if the NTSB had its way. Phone users won't like that very much, and it's likely that many drivers would just ignore such a law and continue to utilize hands-free phone tech.

Distracted driving is a tricky but important topic. There were 3,000 distracted-driving accident deaths in 2010 alone.

IIHS contends cell phone bans not effective for curbing accidents originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How researchers can shut down your phone while you're driving

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology

With every state looking to enact (or having already passed) legislation that makes it illegal to operate a mobile phone while behind the wheel, researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology and Rutgers in New Jersey are taking it one massive step further.

A team led by Drs. Yingying Chen, Marco Gruteser, and Richard Martin have created a system that utilizes a phone's Bluetooth connection and a vehicle's speakers to detect if the driver is using their handheld while driving. The algorithm-based system measures the acoustic signals emitted from the stereo and the proximity of the phone to the Bluetooth receiver, essentially pinging both systems to determine where the phone is being operated. If the signals are coming from the driver's seat, it can shut down the phone with 95 percent accuracy, or around 80 percent if the phone is stashed in a cupholder or cubby.

Obviously, the system is designed to allow passengers to use their phones while the vehicle is in motion, but the biggest hurdles to overcome include the amount of road, wind and background noise interfering with the acoustic signals and a general lack of Bluetooth connectivity in most vehicles. Now the doctors just need an automaker to partner with...

How researchers can shut down your phone while you're driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's Labor Day, so... Mobiado and Aston Martin team up for The Grand 350 luxury phone

Noah Joseph — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Aston Martin

You may recall back in March a luxury phone designer out of Vancouver called Mobiado collaborated with Aston Martin on a concept device that featured a clear panel, all the gadgetry in the frame and keyless entry for Aston's GTs. That was unfortunately just a design study that, while intriguing, was never bound for production. But this one is.

Called The Grand 350 Aston Martin, this insanely upscale phone is made from a CNC-machined aluminum case, 2.36-inch 271-carat sapphire crystal screen with 16 million colors, stainless steel keys, quad-band antenna, Bluetooth, micro USB connector, GPS and more.

We dare not ask what the device sells for, but if you're buying one to go with your new Virage...

Continue reading It's Labor Day, so... Mobiado and Aston Martin team up for The Grand 350 luxury phone

It's Labor Day, so... Mobiado and Aston Martin team up for The Grand 350 luxury phone originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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House introduces bill calling for ban on holding phones while driving

Zach Bowman — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that legislation introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives may ban drivers from even holding a cell phone while behind the wheel. The Safe Drivers Act of 2011, introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-NY, aims to prevent all drivers from holding any mobile device while operating a vehicle by directing the Department of Transportation to enact standards to prohibit the behavior. McCarthy said that making phone calls, texting or using apps is just as dangerous as drunk driving and much more prevalent.

The legislation incorporates provisions for a Department of Transportation study on whether or not talking on the phone at all poses a serious safety risk. The findings would be reported in two years time, at which time adjustments to the measure might be considered.

Meanwhile, drivers would still be allowed to use hands-free devices for mobile communication. Additionally, certain emergency situations would exempt drivers from penalty if caught using a phone while driving.

The Detroit Free Press says that presently, just nine states already ban drivers from holding a phone while driving.

House introduces bill calling for ban on holding phones while driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: LaHood pushes for total phone ban among truck and bus drivers

Zach Bowman — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

The U.S. Department of Transportation is looking into a full-on mobile phone ban for commercial drivers while behind the wheel as part of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's initiative to curb distracted driving. According to Reuters, the move would further impact the four million drivers who are already forbidden from texting while driving.

Last year, driver inattention was cited as the prevailing factor for around nine percent of all large truck crashes in 2009. That number was down from 2008, but not low enough for LaHood or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While the number of distracted big-rig crashes may have declined slightly last year, the number of fatal bus accidents actually increased from 20 in 2008 to 38 in 2009.

The National Transportation Safety Board reports that of all bus crashes, somewhere between six and thirteen percent can be attributed to a distracted driver. LaHood's proposal will have to endure a 60-day comment period before being finalized.

[Source: Reuters via MSNBC]

Report: LaHood pushes for total phone ban among truck and bus drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Survey: 9 out of 10 say phoning while driving should be illegal - half do it themselves

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 19:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

We all know that driving while talking on the cell phone is a distraction. Even if you say you're a good driver with superior multi-tasking skills, blabbing on a phone while piloting a two-ton automobile is a quick way to show that you are in fact not smarter than a fifth grader. Don't let Jeff Foxworthy and his band of miscreants shame you, though... nearly all of us have done it in a moment of weakness. A recent survey of 1,000 motorists found that 90 percent believe that talking on the phone while driving should be illegal. The flip side is that 51 percent of that same data set admit they have used their phone while out on the road.

The survey, sponsored by the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, highlights an interesting paradox in our thinking - the "it won't happen to me" notion. A majority of us agree that doing something is dangerous yet we do it anyway, even when we think it should be illegal. We believe we're somehow better than the folks who get in the distracted-driving car accidents but we're exhibiting similar behavior. We eat food, send texts, read our Kindles, call mom and check e-mail while we should be paying more attention to the road. It's not just about making sure your vehicle is heading where it's supposed to go but to also maintain awareness of what's happening around you - and that's extremely difficult to do when typing out "LOL, OMG-guy nxt 2 me drvng CRZY!!11!"

Check out the official press release after the jump for more details on the survey.

[Source: Chubb Group]

Continue reading Survey: 9 out of 10 say phoning while driving should be illegal - half do it themselves

Survey: 9 out of 10 say phoning while driving should be illegal - half do it themselves originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Adults admit to texting while driving more than teens

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

A poll by Pew Internet, part of the Pew Research Center, has found that 27% of American adults admit to texting while driving. If the teenagers who answered the poll were all telling the truth, that means that more adults are guilty of TWD than teens, who came in at 26%. Even more damning for the Do As I Say, Not As I Do crowd: 44% percent of adults claimed to have been riding with drivers who became dangerous while using cell phones, and 17% of drivers admitted to hitting something or someone while using their cell phones. So let's put down the Blackberry's people, work can wait 'till you get there.

[Source: Pew Internet | Image: Corbis]

Study: Adults admit to texting while driving more than teens originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: PSA - Ken Jeong and Joel McHale urge you to put a sock on it

Zach Bowman — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Videos

Wear your thumb socks - Click above to watch video after the jump

In the never-ending battle to get teenage drivers to put down their cell phones while driving, Sprint has assembled an A-Team of comedic force to advocate the use of thumb socks. We're not kidding. The ever-hilarious comedians Ken Jeong and Joel McHale have jumped on board to get teens to wrap up their opposable digits while driving. The theory is that the slick sock fabric makes it nearly impossible manipulate your phone's buttons and cuts out using the iPhone's touchscreen all together.

Sprint will be more than happy to send you three pairs of the socks once you sign up for an account over at the Do Something web site. The company is hoping kids will give the extra pairs to their friends, or keep a pair in the glove box.

Sounds like a good idea, to be sure. Thing is, we have a hard time believing your average teenager is going to embrace wearing something that's four fingers short of a glove and takes effort to put on. Considering the fact that tying shoe laces is too much a stretch for most of the sub-20 population, we don't expect to see thumb socks become all the rage all of a sudden. Hit the jump to see Jeong and McHale do their best to get the word out.

[Source: Do Something]

Continue reading Video: PSA - Ken Jeong and Joel McHale urge you to put a sock on it

Video: PSA - Ken Jeong and Joel McHale urge you to put a sock on it originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LaHood launches first federally funded distracted driving crackdown campaigns in CT and NY [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos

The NHTSA is combatting distracted driving - Click above to watch the video

Starting on April 8 in Syracuse, NY and April 10 in Hartford, CT, drivers who are caught using a cell phone behind the wheel can expect to get a little more familiar with the local justice system. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has given the official go-ahead on a pilot program aimed at curbing distracted driving, and police in those localities will be pulling over anyone they see texting or using a cell phone without a hands-free device.

They've even come up with a catchy slogan for the crackdown: "Phone in one hand. Ticket in the other." Residents in the greater Syracuse and Hartford areas have likely been seeing a number of ads urging drivers to put down the phone since the first of April. You can check out one example after the jump. Law enforcement will be monitoring driver behavior over the course of the program to determine whether or not a nation-wide campaign will be worth the government's money.

Speaking of dollar bills, the federal government has put up $200,000 for both localaties, matched by $100,000 from each state. If the program goes national, you can bet we'll see quite a bit more cash flow out Washington. Check out the full press release and a video after the jump.

[Source: Distraction.gov]

Continue reading LaHood launches first federally funded distracted driving crackdown campaigns in CT and NY [w/video]

LaHood launches first federally funded distracted driving crackdown campaigns in CT and NY [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NSC decrees all cell phone driving as dangerous, cites 30 studies

Zach Bowman — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology

Surprise, surprise. The National Safety Council just released a report saying that all cell phone use while driving - even hands-free - is potentially dangerous and "risky behavior." The study includes some pretty scary figures, including this one: At any time, 11 percent of drivers on the road are on their phones at the same time. Even worse, the NSC estimates that one out of every four automobile accidents occur because the at-fault driver was on the phone. The NSC combed over and referenced 30 scientific studies and reports for its findings.

While you can technically operate a cell phone and a vehicle at the same time, it seems that our brains aren't hardwired to process that much information simultaneously. According to the study, the result is that while we may see everything on the road, our noggins are only making use of around 50 percent of the available information while we're on the phone. Yikes. Want to know more? Click here to visit the NSC's official page.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

Report: NSC decrees all cell phone driving as dangerous, cites 30 studies originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New smartphone app automatically cuts usage when driving

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:46:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

If you're truly worried about your teenager and what he or she might get into - or plow into - using a cellphone while driving, then perhaps you might find Cell Cease of interest. If your teen's phone runs on Windows Mobile and has GPS, Cell Cease will block the ability to make and receive most phone calls if it detects the phone is moving more than 5 miles per hour. Only 911 calls and an allowed numbers list will be able to get through otherwise.

Once installed, Cell Cease makes changes to the software with with a PIN code. While safety is the intended benefit, there are not-insignificant downsides. Running Cell Cease can reduce your usable battery time by up to 20 percent, for one. Even more importantly, Cell Cease can't tell how you're moving faster than 5 mph. If you're a passenger in a car, riding on a bus or train, cruising in a sailboat, or even just walking pretty quickly, it doesn't matter: your phone is rendered nearly useless. On another note, is there a teen in the world that actually uses a WinMo phone?

[Source: Cell Cease | Image: Ryan Harvey - CC.2.0]

Continue reading New smartphone app automatically cuts usage when driving

New smartphone app automatically cuts usage when driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Transportation Secretary LaHood concerned with influx of in-car technologies

Michael Harley — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Concerned that "gadgets and bells and whistles" are distracting drivers, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is reportedly pushing to keep the technologies out of driver's hands - without going so far as to say he'll try to restrict them. LaHood, who has already campaigned for a ban on hand-held texting and cell phone use while operating a moving vehicle, says he is "going to talk to the car manufacturers and see where this leads."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009 nearly 6,000 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver - and more than 800,000 vehicles are driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone each day. While the Department of Transportation intends to issue regulations in 2010 to discourage driving while distracted by technology, LaHood has gone several steps further by saying he is on a "rampage" against the behavior.

This is likely a good time to remind everyone that a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that bans on hand-held cell phones in California, Connecticut, New York, and Washington D.C., had no impact on vehicle accidents - LaHood attributes those results simply to complaisant enforcement by police agencies.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: Transportation Secretary LaHood concerned with influx of in-car technologies originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Laws banning hand-held phones do not reduce crashes

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology

This one doesn't surprise us one bit and we'll explain why in a moment. Until then, clock this: a Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) study determined that laws banning the use of hand-held phones have no effect on the crash rate. None, as in zero effect. Says HLDI and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety president Adrian Lund, "The laws aren't reducing crashes, even though we know that such laws have reduced hand-held phone use." So there you go, drivers get into an equal number of crashes with or without cell phones.

As to why we aren't surprised by the HLDI's findings, two reasons... well, really three. The first being that over the last decade and a half there has been an exponential increase in American cell phone usage. We went from only yuppies walking around with Gordon Gekko sized brick phones to nearly everyone having a mobile phone. If cell phones and driving are as dangerous as certain state lawmakers were led to believe, we would have seen a similar exponential rise in accidents. But, we never saw one. Instead, it was just one big hysterical case of causation without correlation.

The second reason is something Ford showed us while we were checking out their new MyFord Touch technology. Ford engineers were explaining just how crazy dangerous it is to text while driving. According to Ford's data, texting while driving is 23 times their baseline as dangerous as just plain old driving - by far the most dangerous activity you can engage in behind the wheel. Looking at FoMoCo's chart we noticed that hands-free cell phone usage registered a +1 in terms of danger - statistically insignificant. However, talking on a hand-held cell phone recorded -1, less accidents occurred in Ford's study when people were talking on a hand-held phone than when they were just driving. That said, -1 is statistically nothing.

Our third reason is more observational than data of science based, though it does square with the HLDI's findings: people seem to drive just as lousy phone or no phone. Wake up and drive people.

[Source: HLDI News | Photo: Corbis]

Study: Laws banning hand-held phones do not reduce crashes originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gresso takes its cues from F1 with new Grand Monaco phone

Noah Joseph — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology

Gress Grand Monaco - Click above for high-res image gallery

If Vertu thought they had the market for four-figure carbon fiber cell phones all to themselves, they can think again as Russia's high-end electronics firm Gresso has announced the new Grand Monaco.

Not only is Gresso's latest named for the most famous race in the world, it's also built using race-derived materials like PVD-coated titanium alloy, high-strength ceramics and of course carbon fiber. The sapphire crystal display resists scratches and the whole thing is vacuum-sealed. Multitasking junkies won't find all the functionality of a smart phone here, but the Grand Monaco does pack a 2MP camera and Bluetooth among its features and commands a princely $2,100 - a far cry from the nearly ten-grand Vertu, but a fair bit more than the average Nokia. Details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Gresso Grand Monaco

[Source: Gresso]

Continue reading Gresso takes its cues from F1 with new Grand Monaco phone

Gresso takes its cues from F1 with new Grand Monaco phone originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: NHTSA withheld results of studies on cell phone use while driving because of Congress

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

As always, it ain't the crime, it's the cover-up. In what looks to be Congress protecting its turf, a planned study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on driver distraction - specifically, drivers using cell phones - was put on hold. The reason, according to The New York Times, was allegedly a fear of upsetting the Capitol body. The reason, according to an ex-head of NHTSA, was "to avoid antagonizing members of Congress who had warned the agency to stick to its mission of gathering safety data but not to lobby states."

In 2003, NHTSA already had "hundreds of pages" of research on the effects of multitasking while driving. And yes, as many Autoblog commenters have surmised, the research does indeed point to people using their cell phones being "as likely to cause an accident as someone with a .08 blood alcohol content." NHTSA officials also felt that hands-free systems weren't a safe enough solution - drivers were still too distracted.

But when the safety agency drafted a letter to then Transport Secretary Norman Mineta that included policy recommendations, the head of the agency began hearing complaints about NHTSA overstepping its bounds. Congress, it was said, "warned the agency not to use its research to lobby states." As the story goes, the threat to NHTSA was that if it upset Congress, it "could jeopardize billions of dollars of its financing."

So instead of going forward with a focused study of cell phone usage that would include 10,000 drivers, the agency shelved everything and stayed quiet. Due to Freedom of Information Act requests, the research gathered up to now is being revealed. But there is still the issue of Congress holding back information that, frankly, could save lives.

What do you think? Do you use your mobile phone while driving? Do you think doing so should be illegal? Drop your fellow reader a line in 'Comments.'

[Source: The New York Times | Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty]

REPORT: NHTSA withheld results of studies on cell phone use while driving because of Congress originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rolls-Royce Phantom mobile phone store in India

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, India, Humor

It's called ingenuity, and it's given us such things as the cell phone and the Rolls-Royce Phantom. So why not combine the two to create a cell phone store in the back of a Rolls-Royce Phantom? That's evidently what some well-heeled entrepreneurs in India did, purchasing a Phantom instead of a brick-and-mortar storefront, painting it up, and traveling the hillsides hawking mobile phones. It got caught in this regrettable pose - with rocks bracing its tires, because after getting a flat tire, the provincial tire shop had no idea how to fix it. But back to the ingenuity, mad props to the folks who came up with this: more attention-getting than Aishyarwa Rai, more convenient than Domino's Pizza, and more comfortable than... a real store. The world is an amazing place, no?

[Source: NFS Cars]

Rolls-Royce Phantom mobile phone store in India originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan, Sharp and NTT DOCOMO develop smart-key phone

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:02:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Japan, Technology, Nissan, Lifestyle

Those wacky kids in Japan can do all kinds of things with their cell phones that those of us in the U.S. can't. Thanks to Nissan, Sharp Corporation, and NTT DOCOMO, the Japanese mobile communications company, they can now add car control to the list of possible cell phone features.

The phone uses the two-way communication of Nissan's Intelligent Key System, the same thing you use on your G37. For now, it can only lock and unlock the car and start and stop the engine, but if it takes off we imagine they'll add other options later. This is about convenience, not necessarily about sense -- if your phone gets stolen, that makes your car one more thing that the villains can abscond with.

The phone won't go on sale commercially until 2009, but will be demoed at the CEATEC exhibition in Japan later this month. You can read the full press release is after the jump, and get ready to overhear this in Japanese: "I called the wrong number and my car just drove off..."

[Source: NTT DOCOMO]

Continue reading Nissan, Sharp and NTT DOCOMO develop smart-key phone

Nissan, Sharp and NTT DOCOMO develop smart-key phone originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chinese create ultimate clone: the F1 "Ferrari" cell phone

Michael Harley — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Ferrari, Toys/Games

It goes without saying that this isn't an officially-sanctioned Ferrari F430 cell phone. This is called the "F1 Phone," coming at you in bright-red injection-molded plastic direct from non-Ferrari manufacturing China. Like the Italian exotic, the F1 Phone offers a lot of performance with its dual-band support, a 2.2-inch touch-sensitive LCD display, music player, video player, memory expansion slot, USB connectivity, flashlight, and a slew of other electronic goodies (including three pre-installed games, though not a single one involving driving). Unlike the Italian exotic, this one sports a price tag of just $190, allowing you to save the other $185,000 for your text messaging bill. In case you were wondering, that bulls-eye smack in the middle of the windshield is the built-in 1.3 megapixel camera - you won't find one of those on any showroom Scuderia!

Gallery: F1 Ferrari Phone

[Source: Techpin via Engadget Mobile]

Chinese create ultimate clone: the F1 "Ferrari" cell phone originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler offering in-car web access later this year

Chris Shunk — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:33:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Chrysler, Dodge

Chrysler may be struggling with vehicle styling and interior quality, but the gang in Auburn Hills sure does love the gadgetry. Sirius satellite TV, heated and cooled cupholders, and Swivel-N-Go seating will soon be joined by in-car Internet access. The Washington Post reports Chrysler will utilize cell tower signals and a mobile phone account to make the radio a WiFi port, giving passengers access to the web. The technology will be offered as a dealer add-on for existing models later this year, and it will be available as a factory option at some point after that. With Chrysler bringing web connectivity to cars and trucks this year and Ford following suit in mid-2009, it looks like access to Autoblog will soon be available everywhere.

[Source: The Washington Post]

Chrysler offering in-car web access later this year originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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