Can cellCONTROL Stop Texting and Driving?

Texting while you are driving is dangerous. Since your eyes are off the road to read a message on a cell phone, it is much more dangerous than just talking on the phone in your hand. Scosche Industries, aftermarket car audio and ICE manufacturer, released a gadget to stop texting and driving a couple of years ago. It is called cellCONTROL. This device is a Bluetooth transmitter that is plugged into and powered by Data Link Connector (DLC or OBD port) of vehicles. Bluetooth signal tell your cell phone that the vehicle is in motion, and the application blocks some functions such texting, answering and calling, only when you are driving. Congratulations, you can drive safely now…………..???

It is such a useless and meaningless gadget. People who wants to do texting wouldn’t install this product. Conversely, people who care about safety don’t do texting while driving in the first place. If parents want to stop their children from texting and driving, and secretly plug this gadget into OBD port, they still need to download and install the application in children’s cell phones. OK, let’s say they succeed to do so. In no time, the children will spot a unfamiliar app in their cell phones and find out about the gadget. What would the children do? It is most likely to unplugged the gadget WHILE DRIVING.

No matter what situations are, doing or not doing texting and driving depends on self-disciplines and their own responsibilities. The gadget is capable of blocking and controlling functions of cell phones, but it can’t stop people from texting and driving.

I’m not a specialist of the market, but judging from some online shopping sites, the products aren’t sold very much. Its price has gone down to about 30% of an original price. I found a few reviews which is both negative.

I don’t think it is necessary to use OBD port only for the information whether the vehicle is in motion or not. Most smartphones have built-in GPS. In theory, all features can be done by a single application alone. OBD port is a great source of vehicle’s information. You can use it more usefully and creatively like this.

A physical product that restricts some functions of other product is a bad idea. It is not attracting to consumers at all. On the other hand, hands free devices are an example of successful products. They let you keep using the most basic function of phone with a small modification. Some apps read messages aloud for you. They also type what you speak for you, too. These features are kind of scary because you are not sure if the message are sent correctly. But I think they do way better jobs than the gadget does with your cell phone instead of just taking away some features of your cell phone. What do you think?