You don't need a Faraday cage in your car to avoid distracted driving

You don't need a Faraday cage in your car to avoid distracted driving

Nissan's Signal Shield is meant to block out all signal to keep you focused. But why not just put the phone away?

If you're finding it hard to keep yourself from checking in on notifications, missed calls, and social media status updates while on the road, perhaps you shouldn't be driving at all. Or, you could get a Faraday cage of sorts built into the armrest, as Nissan is suggesting with its new prototype.

The Signal Shield is a bonafide Faraday cage built into the arm rest of the Nissan Juke. Once you place the phone inside, it cuts off all mobile, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi signals. You won't see any messages or be able to check in until the phone comes out.

Guarantee your mobile will never distract you while driving. Introducing #Nissan Signal Shield http://pic.twitter.com/kiW5sKgFm4

— NissanUK (@NissanUK) May 3, 2017

"The Nissan Signal Shield concept presents one possible solution for giving drivers the choice to remove all smartphone distractions while driving. This is about delivering more control at the wheel, not less," Nissan Motor GB managing director Alex Smith told The Telegraph. "Some drivers are immune to the activity of their smartphone, but for those who struggle to ignore the beeps and pings, this concept provides a simple solution in this very connected world we live in."

I can understand the temptation to check your phone when you're stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic and bored out of your mind, but these days, I feel like I see more drivers hitting the pedal to the metal at 60 miles-per-hour while face down in a text message. I only drive a few times a week, but it's often for long distances, and you can bet I see someone breaking the law within minutes of hitting the road.

Having a smartphone in the car isn't the issue here; it's having the discipline to put it on silent and leave it in your bag or pocket when you should be paying attention to the road. And if you don't, perhaps you should consider taking the bus around town. That way, you can use your phone to your heart's desire until you reach your destination.