Re: Safety and Responsibility

Phil,

>Unfortunately I don't think anyone involved in (auto)mobile web projects is
concerned with driver >safety. In all the reading I've done regarding mobile
web development plans, no one is addressing the >issue of safety on the
roads. The first time someone dies in an auto accident because a driver is
>distracted by sending email while driving, surfing the internet while
driving, etc.*who will take >responsibility? I don't see anyone in the
austere W3C group addressing these issues. I know, most 
Driver safety indeed is a very important issue and, although maybe not
strongly in the minds of W3C participants, it definitely is in the minds of
the people developing m-commerce services for the automotive industry.
Current services falling into this category are all voice driven, like the
Telematik-Service-Kit of the German ADAC, and other more advances services
(which overlap with some WAP services for mobile phones) currently in
development will support voice control and/or feedback in some form. The
greatest risk comes when services on common WAP phones (as opposed as usage
on equipment developed for the automotive industry, like the AutoPC) are
used by the driver, since these do not support voice control (yet?). I agree
with you that this is an issue the W3C should take at heart, because I
expect the most used and valued mobile services will relate to mobility
itself (like real-time traffic information and driving directions), which
will be used most in cars.
>don't care. Progress, profits, and "universal access" are all that count.
If a few people have to die >along the way*what is it your concern? Well it
should be. With all this work going into making the >web accessible to
people with disabilities, you should not be ignoring the possibility that
some of your >very efforts will make the disabled population grow (through
automobile accidents). Is anyone >addressing driver-safety issues in regard
to (auto)mobile web access? 
I do expect though, that there is an overlap with development concerning
disability support. Maybe the solution will come from that area?

Moreover, in some countries law may provide a push effect to a greater
attention for safety features within W3C related areas. Accidents due to
usage of GSM phones in cars without a car kit have led to discussions in
Dutch parliament which may lead to obligating mobile phone users in cars to
install a car kit demanded by law. This might be extended to more general
terms where electronic applications in cars are obligated to be used through
a hands free speech controlled system.

I think technology should provide the ability to use mobile devices safely,
but in the end, the responsibility remains with the user himself.

Kind regards,

Jan Willekens
Technical Consultant
Magic Publishing B.V. (Wapmagic)
Gooimeer 6-32
1411DD Naarden
The Netherlands
Tel.: +31-35-6993400
Fax.: +31-35-6993401
http://www.wapmagic.com

Received on Friday, 5 November 1999 10:20:11 UTC