The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 13 percent of all fatal distraction-related crashes in 2014 could be attributed to drivers distracted by their cellphones. While both automakers and phone manufacturers have made strides to limit the distractions, Apple is taking the next step to keep drivers’ eyes focused on the road with a new function called Do Not Disturb while Driving.
Set to make its debut this fall in Apple’s next update to its mobile operating system, iOS 11, Do Not Disturb while Driving builds on Apple’s current Do Not Disturb feature, which can silence alerts, calls, and notifications that are received while a user’s phone is locked. The new “while driving” function adds to this by setting the iPhone’s screen to black and enabling an automatic reply to texts when the phone senses it’s in a moving vehicle. Messages can get past the feature if a contact relays that the message is “urgent,” though. For better or worse, Apple will allow Do Not Disturb while Driving to be turned off by users?a boon for passengers whose phones have wrongly accused them of being drivers, but a curse to those hoping the feature would end iPhone-related distracted driving.
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Although Apple’s new Do Not Disturb function is unli...