Google Glass is likely to attract restrictive usage policies in the U.K. before it arrives in the market, mainly to keep the drivers from using the glasses while driving.
Google Glass has got a lot of heat from government regulators across the world. Some have requested new laws that ban the use of Google Glass in bars and some states in the U.S. are considering banning this eyewear when behind the wheel. Although the glass will not be officially available to consumers till late 2013 or early next year, it has driven government officials to review the proper use of this wearable gadget in public.
In a recent interview with the British tech magazine "Stuff", a spokesman for the U.K. Department for Transport raised security concerns over the use of the Google Glass while driving. He said that the eyewear would cause distraction for drivers resulting in deadly accidents.
The proliferation of handheld tech and wearable devices has forced governments to come up with stringent laws to prevent accidents while driving. New York recently passed tougher state laws for distracted driving. People using mobile phones while driving will be charged at an increased rate for repeated violations that can go up to $400. Distracted driving has become a rising concern among regulators as it causes thousands of deaths and nearly half a million injuries in the U.S. every year.
To prevent such distractions, the U.K. Department of Transport has requested a new law to refrain people from using Google Glass while driving.
"We are aware of the impending rollout of Google Glass and are in discussion with the police to ensure that individuals do not use this technology while driving," DOT spokesman told Stuff during the interview. "It is important that drivers give their full attention to the road when they are behind the wheel and do not behave in a way that stops them from observing what is happening on the road."
Other governments are yet to launch any such policies that ban the use of the Google Glass while driving. But Virginia requested the U.S. government to consider banning the use of Google Glass in cars, earlier in May.
