People continue to text and drive, despite the numerous warnings and legal penalties. A new technology will keep drivers' eyes on the road, yet still allow them to keep in constant contact with friends and families.
Navdy displays information like text messages, status updates, and GPS directions in front of the driver using a 5-inch flip-up glass screen that projects the image using Head-Up Display (HUD) technology. The projector's output is 40 times brighter than an iPhone screen. The device sits on the car's dashboard and measures five inches wide and about four inches high.
The driver only needs to swipe left or right, or give a thumbs up to command the device. "No more looking down to fumble with knobs, buttons or touch screens," reads the description.
This should help bring down the number of accidents caused by distracted drivers in the United States. The CDC estimates that more than 9 people die every day due to distracted drivers, plus another 1,060 injured per day. Although drivers can keep their eyes on the road, they still need to take their hands off the wheel and think about tasks other than driving.
Navdy plugs into a car's on-board diagnostics (OBD) II port and sinks up with smartphones via Bluetooth 4.0. The device can read all the phone's notifications (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Google Maps), stream music from Pandora, Spotify, iTunes or Google Play Music, and display the car's speed, fuel information, tire pressure and revolutions per minute (RPM).
A driver can use voice commands to make phone calls or dictate texts or tweets. Similar to systems like Siri and Google Now, Navdy comes with built-in noise cancellation that provides clear and consistent voice input.
The pre-order price is $299 and will ship in early 2015. The price will jump to $499 when it sells on retail. More apps will become available before the units ship and buyers who pre-order will have a say in the type of apps Navdy's in-house developers create.
