Maeve Maloney
NMD 200
October 4, 2019
Project 1

             Our task at hand is to redesign a technology, forcing it to become more of human-centered design. I believe that this idea is very dependent on the user, many apps are already user-oriented, so my goal was to attempt to solve a specific form of technology over an app. I considered redesigning different appliances but found that they weren’t beneficial to my use personally, then I thought of a technology that had previously gotten me into trouble which was ironically bought as a tool to assist me.

      This issue has become so widespread, with accident statistics reaching epidemic proportions. What is so alarming is that the issue is so common, yet so avoidable. 43% of people say they text to stay connected, regardless of what they’re doing. More then half of the people surveyed believe that their driving is not affected by texting and driving, if this is true then why are the numbers increasing by alarming rates? An anticipatory aspect is developing to it, people don’t realize the dangers because it is something they’ve always done. This issue is not just sparking from a certain age group, those who text and drive are of all ages. In the United States, about 1 in every 4 accidents is from texting, this totals to about 330,000 car crashes from texting and driving alone each year. Cellphone use in the car has totaled up to 1.6 million crashes each year, this had become a worldwide phenomenon. Countless laws have been implemented in hopes of decreasing this incredible rate we have created. This issue is so important because not only does it put the phone user in danger, but it puts those around the user in danger too. The statistics revolving around cellphones and driving are alarmingly high, below I included what I thought was the most alarming.

77% of adults and 55% of teens believe that they can easily manage texting and driving.

80% of car crashes are attributed to a driver being distracted or not paying attention.

Approximately 660,000 drivers use their cellphones while driving during daylight hours.

             One other reason I thought this would be an interesting issue to tackle is that in 2017, I received a ticket for using my cell phone while driving. The ticket was $175.00, with an additional license suspension that cost me $150.00 to renew. Although this was an extremely high priced ticket, I wouldn’t say it was necessarily exorbitant considering the dangers that come with texting and driving. While this is true, I was pulled over for using my phone but was actually trying to access the Bluetooth that the car has provided through the speaker. Although I thought this ticket was unfair, I was still using my phone. With this project, I am hoping to improve issues like these, because although they are said to be human-centered, there are still flaws that allow issues like my Bluetooth.

            Now although companies have created technologies like apple car play, I still find myself looking down at the screen. Regardless of the technology in the car, I still believe people will be distracted but by redesigning it, my goal is to minimalize hand use and our eyes being off the road. In the image located below, is an apple car play screen

The screen is set in the middle of the car dashboard, where it is in arm’s length away. Car play does allow you to use your voice to send messages or make calls, but to do all of that we have to click the screen or move and focus our attention to the middle of the car. A huge benefit of this technology is that we aren’t using any handheld devices, but alongside this sometimes I still find myself distracted looking at the screen while driving. My aunt recently purchased a car that has apple car play inside, she said that she loves being able to send texts while driving and making calls is so much easier now. Her take on the location is that she thinks it is really the only spot that the screen would fit, but finds herself getting distracted easily. My goal is to relocate and redesign this technology so that it is more efficient and less dangerous to use while driving.

When considering human values, I was having trouble finding one that matches up directly with this issue. I think that the issue I’m trying to solve is more than an issue in human values, but also human safety so I thought a strong focus would be justice. Justice is the idea of righteousness, lawfulness, fair                    beha

vior, and correctness. I think these all come into play when we consider that the issue is

also affecting those around us. This can also fall under non-violence; “Nonviolence is the personal practice of being harmless to self and others under every condition. It comes from the belief that hurting people, animals or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and refers to a general philosophy of abstention from violence.” This puts a large emphasis on being cautious about those around us, this technological advancement would be keeping not just us, but others safe as well.

In my redesign, I am aiming to relocate the screen onto the wheel, where the users don’t even have to move their hands. I will redesign the screen as a minimalized version, so it will be less distracting. Alongside this, I will limit the apps that come with apple play. I think this will be a beneficial idea because while in your car, your only focus should be on driving. If apple carplay has countless apps, our focus is on apple car play, not the road. When the apps can be limited we might not feel as obligated to use such a tool. In the same sense, I think having the ability to send texts and calls through this device is very beneficial because it eliminates the use of a handheld device, which is much more distracting. To tie these ideas together, I hope to include a small screen on the sides of the wheel, so that we can just click an icon and a voice- like “Siri” plays through the car, so we aren’t continuously clicking through different screens. With this feature, we are able to look up at the road, without distraction. The icons I think would be most beneficial would be calling, texting, an app for music and an app for podcasts/books. With those, you just click the one you want to use and the rest is voice command. I think on top of the relocation of the screen when the car is in motion it will lock the screen so that the driver has to pull over to use the device. With this feature, it will be connected to your phone so that you aren’t able to use your phone while the car is in motion. The only feature that will be available is emergency calls, for obvious reasons such as car accidents or emergencies. The screen-locking will discourage users from using technology while driving, it forces them to be in a full stop to use their devices which will hopefully become a routine when driving any vehicle.

Below I have attached my design ideas, although simple I think these can make a big difference in the statistics that come with texting and driving. CNN report on texting and driving included that many people believe that apps, awareness, and laws will help reduce the high number just as DUI laws and public education has decreased the number of drunk driving accidents over the years. With this new design comes less distraction. In the end, safety is the goal which is aiming to be achieved. When considering nonviolence and justice as our two core values this design is revolving around, I believe it will put an emphasis on the idea of being harmless to self and others while being righteous and lawfull.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-so-many-people-text-and-drive-knowing-dangers/

https://www.momjunction.com/articles/why-do-teens-engage-in-texting-and-driving_00353170/#gref

(photos: https://teensafe.com/100-distracted-driving-facts-statistics-for-2018/ )