Distracted Driving Solution from Smack Innovations Sounds a Lot Like…Distracted Driving

Can a smart device intended to reduce distracted driving have the opposite effect?

Consider a new offering from Smack Innovations, which claims that it offers a way to “drive safely while taking full advantage of mobile phone connectivity.”

The product, RITW SafeConnect, clamps onto a steering wheel and works through voice commands and a few buttons to access the user’s phone and installed apps, keeping the driver connected without, the company notes, “risk of distracted driving.”

This automotive aftermarket product allows users to check their Facebook, answer and make phone calls, dictate and hear text messages,  email, review sports scores and local weather, play music, or find the location of nearby restaurants or inexpensive gas stations, while never taking their hands off the wheel or their eyes off the road.

Sounds like lots of distraction.

Gregor Hanuschak, founder of SMACK INNOVATIONS and former Lead for Commercial Space Partnerships at NASA Headquarters, says, “Truthfully, even though we know the risk, we all want to be connected to our phone while driving and are tempted to use it. My purpose in developing RITW SafeConnect was to safely merge the real world use of a smart phone with driving in an affordable product that looks good and is easy to install. This product does not rely on a screen that takes your eyes off the road. It is by far, less distracting than expensive add-on or OE installed connectivity devices, easier to use, and seeks to work with EVERY app on your phone.”

RITW SafeConnect retails for under $100, is compatible with Android, and does not require a monthly subscription fee. Simply clamp SafeConnect to the steering wheel and connect to your phone for immediate connectivity. A deluxe model is available that offers additional features designed to combat driver fatigue or hypnosis that can occur from driving for extended periods of time.

Category: News, Safety