Apple’s most important announcement at its annual developers conference is a feature that will help drivers keep their eyes on the road and save lives. Do Not Disturb While Driving will be available this year as part of iOS 11. While it won’t get as much fanfare as the new products and flashy software features introduced during the WWDC 2017 keynote, it will have a much bigger impact.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving killed 3,477 Americans in 2015 alone. In the same year, nearly 400,000 people were injured in accidents due to distraction. NHTSA continues to tune in to phone usage, radio channels, and other hazards in these stats, but cites texting and talking as two of the top distractions while driving.
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We’ve seen third parties like app developers, companies, and developers launch campaigns to reduce distracted driving, but this is the first time Apple has developed a solution to deter distracted driving directly onto iOS.
So How Does Do Not Disturb Work While Driving? According to Apple, iOS 11 will be able to detect when iPhone users are driving or moving at high speeds. This is done in various ways, such as detecting when iPhones are connected to cars via Bluetooth.
Apple will not enforce the new Do Not Disturb While Driving feature on users. Instead, it will bring up a prompt. Passengers can refuse the prompt and inform them that they are not driving. Once Do Not Disturb While Driving is enabled, the mode will automatically activate every time you drive.
When enabled, the screen will be blank while driving. Even if you’ve sworn to stop texting while driving, an iPhone screen that’s only illuminated with alerts can be a distraction, especially when you’re driving at night.
iOS 11 automatically replies to messages, notifying people that their messages will be delivered at your next stop. Apple didn’t go into details about the autoresponder, but we hope the message can be customized. 
Turning on Do Not Disturb While Driving won’t leave you in complete darkness. If a loved one or coworker absolutely needs your attention, they may respond “urgent” to force their message. This means that when your phone beeps while driving, you’ll know something important is happening and it’s not just a Twitter alert or a sports update.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNGtPI3AQLo
Despite years of campaigning, texting while driving is still a serious problem. Warnings in graphical ads like the ones above and below aren’t enough, and Apple’s new security feature is a much needed step in the right direction.
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