With pot now legal in 18 states and the District of Columbia, the whole driver distraction issue may be irrelevant. Nevertheless, the National Traffic Safety Board recently tried for a nationwide ban on portable electronic devices. They were booed off the stage. We love our gadgets, and no one is going to deny us. Automakers have exploited this passion for years, pushing high-end sound systems and premium electronic navigation devices straight to their bottom line. Now they are shifting gears and responding to the new call for safer devices. My personal favorite is the one that senses a drowsy driver and flashes the image of a steaming cup of coffee on the dash. If anyone at Microsoft is reading this, I could use one of those for my computer at work.

http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1366&doc_id=253287&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily