GM Shrugs Off LaHood Criticism, Moves Forward With In-Car Facebook

by Edward Niedermeyer

October 19th, 2010 12:17 AM

gm shrugs off lahood criticism moves forward with in car facebook

A week and a half ago, when asked about automaker plans to bring in-car access to social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood told Bloomberg

I’m absolutely opposed to all of that.That would be the biggest distraction of all. All of that is well beyond the idea that you’re really trying to avoid distracted driving.

Regardless of LaHood’s ongoing campaign to curb distracted driving, the government-owned General Motors is pushing ahead with plans to integrate voice-activated Facebook and Twitter updates into its Onstar system. Onstar CEO Chris Preuss takes on LaHood’s perspective on in-car Facebook updates in the Detroit News, arguing

Not only is it safe — all things relative in the vehicle — it’s actually a benign activityFord doesn’t seem to completely agree, putting Facebook off-limits for its SYNC system, and pulling back its planned Twitter access to incoming tweets only. But then, SYNC already allows drivers to send pre-written responses to text messages, so it’s not entirely clear where (if anywhere) a principled line is being drawn. But with LaHood hinting at a ban on all in-car phone use (including the use of “hands-free” connections), a line may have to be drawn sooner rather than later. But where is the common ground between LaHood’s zero-tolerance approach and Detroit’s desire to tap youthful enthusiasm for wireless connectivity?

#Gizmology #Government #Safety #Technology

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7 of 14 comments

Ihatetrees on Oct 19, 2010

Solution: Given tody's degenerate enforcement environment, just allow allow everything; Facebook, Twitter, flat panel screens on the dash, movies projected onto the windshield. In exchange for such freedom, all driving activity is recorded. You're criminally and civilly liable for any maiming and damages.

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Nonce on Oct 19, 2010

The instant someone logs onto Facebook while driving, blow up their car.

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- See 2 previous
- Ash78 on Oct 19, 2010
  
  I support this, even without the "while driving" qualifier :D
  
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- JimC on Oct 19, 2010
  
  Nawwww, a punishment far worse would be to change all of their privacy settings to "everyone." :)
  
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- Nonce on Oct 19, 2010
  
  Everyone's privacy is set that way permanently anyway.
  
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Oboylepr on Oct 19, 2010

Fairly typical of GM to resort to this kind of gimacry to sell cars. After all they completly fail to sell based on value, quality and reliability even when their owner is systematically destroying their competitor's reputation.

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Mandalorian on Jul 26, 2011

I hate Facebook, it is a stupid waste of time. People TALKING on their cell phones while driving is already dangerous enough, let alone TEXTING while driving. Imagine the damage, text, viewing pictures, etc will do. I think I am going to buy a Helicopter and stay off the roads.

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