Can A SMARTwheel Prevent Distracted Driving?

A new invention by teens, for teens, is hoping to make the roads a safer place. The SMARTwheel is the first smart vehicle steering wheel that has been designed to keep a driver’s hands at the ten and two position, focussing a driver’s attention on the road. The SMARTwheel was recently one of the innovative technologies showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The hope is that this new invention will prevent drivers from being distracted behind the wheel.

Distracted driving continues to rise despite legislation, fines and demerit points. Texting while driving has surpassed driving to becomes the leading cause of death amongst teenagers. Statistics reveal that sending a text will make a driver 23 more likely to get into a collision. The SMARTwheel has taken several years to develop by TJ Evarts who is now twenty years old has its humble roots in the 2010 White House Science Fair. The SMARTwheel technology monitors the car while the vehicle is driving in real time. The product snaps onto any steering wheel and used patented linear potentiometers and an algorithm to determine the placement of a driver’s hands. If one of the hands are removed or the hands come very closely together (as if holding a smartphone to text), a beeping sound will warn the driver of his actions. A light will also flash as a secondary source of warning. Once the hands return to a safe position (ten and two), the warning light and sound will cease.

SMARTwheel Can Collect Drivers Data

The SMARTwheel is also Bluetooth enabled. The connectivity can monitor the driver’s performance and send the collected information to an app. The information could be viewed by the driver or parents. The goal for the SMARTwheel is to use eventually gesture recognition to incorporate an eye-free technology into the wheel cover. The inventor is hoping that the wheel cover will be able to answer a call by a tap or simple swipe of the vehicle cover.

To see the SMARTwheel in operation visit, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRKeLddEwrI