Back to the future: Nissan turn to Faraday for phone-free motoring

News

Nissan has developed a concept for motorists who can’t bear to switch off or mute their smartphone but want to drive without being distracted by incoming calls or text messages.

The Nissan Signal Shield is a prototype compartment within the armrest of a Nissan Juke that is lined with a Faraday cage. Once a mobile device is placed in the compartment and the lid closed, the Nissan Signal Shield is said to block the phone’s incoming and outgoing cellular, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections.

Nissan said the concept is designed to give drivers a choice about whether to eliminate the distractions caused by text messages, social media notifications and app alerts that smartphones receive each day.

If drivers want to listen to music or podcasts stored on their smartphone, they can still connect to the car’s entertainment system via the USB or auxiliary ports. To restore the phone’s wireless connections, drivers can open the armrest to reveal the compartment – which can be done without taking eyes off the road or touching the phone itself – and the phone can reconnect with the mobile network and the car’s Bluetooth system.

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