There has been a huge buzz in automobile world, on Nissan's new technology to avoid road accidents caused by mobile phone usage. Technically, this implementation uses the very old Faraday Cage concept. In simple words, this concepts states that within a cage built with conductive material, if an external electric field is applied, it cancels out with the electric charges present in the conductive material. This results in blocking the electricity to penetrate into the cage. The same holds good for electromagnetic waves also.
Implementing this principle, Nissan has created the Signal Shield technology. Its main intention is to avoid the usage of mobile phones during the ride. It is achieved by blocking the signals that the mobile phone receives by placing it into the Faraday-cage-like box placed underneath the arm rest of the driver.
 |
| Nissan's Signal Shield Technology |
"Though the mobile is placed into the so-called Faraday's cage, one can charge, play music and access the mobile as usual", claims Nissan. It is to be understood that only wireless "communication" with the mobile is abandoned.
However, Nissan states that one can use the mobile, without being distracted from the drive. In concern with the increased mishaps due to usage of mobile, Nissan took this initiative.
Tech experts are comparing this technology with Samsung's In-Traffic Reply app, which imposes the same functionality in an effective and efficient way. This app uses the GPS of the mobile in order to sense the motion of the vehicle. If the vehicle is in motion, it imposes the restrictions for mobile access. However, we cannot estimate its value just with a prototype. Once it goes live, we need to see how many live it is going to save.
