Nissan’s ‘Signal Shield’ to stop drivers from using mobiles while driving

Automakers are going a long way to stop drivers from being distracted by their mobile phones at the wheel. Police crackdowns on texting while driving, had only proved effective up to a point, and one in five drivers admit to texting from the wheel.

But Nissan is now turning to Victorian technology to curb the dangerous temptation.

Nissan has created a prototype compartment within the armrest of a Nissan Juke lined with a Faraday cage, an invention dating back to the 1830s.

Once a mobile device is placed in the compartment and the lid closed, the Nissan Signal Shield creates a 'silent zone' that blocks all the phone's incoming and outgoing cellular, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections.

The concept will offer drivers a choice about whether to eliminate the distractions caused by the millions of text messages, social media notifications and app alerts that were 'pushed' to smartphones each day.

Alex Smith, managing director, Nissan Motor GB Ltd, said: ''Nissan produces some of the safest cars on the road today but we are always looking at new ways to improve the wellbeing of our customers.

''Mobile phone use at the wheel is a growing concern across the automotive industry, and indeed society, particularly with the high number of 'pushed' communications, such as texts, social media notifications and app alerts that tempt drivers to reach for their devices.

However, according to commentators, Signal Shield was certainly an interesting way for Nissan to tackle distractions, but unfortunately, people who used their phone while driving will continue do so, even if they had a fancy Faraday cage at hand.