Chicago DUI lawyer comments on the conflict between driving and technology

This Chicago DUI lawyer has posted here, here, and here about distracted driving. Now comes news of the conflict between technology and, dare I say it, safety.

January 6, Las Vegas, NV

To the dismay of safety advocates already worried about driver distraction, automakers and high-tech companies have found a new place to put sophisticated Internet-connected computers: the front seat.

Technology giants like Intel andGoogle are turning their attention from the desktop to the dashboard, hoping to bring the power of the PC to the car. They see vast opportunity for profit in working with automakers to create the next generation of irresistible devices.

This week at the Consumer Electronics Show, the neon-drenched annual trade show here, these companies are demonstrating the breadth of their ambitions, like 10-inch screens above the gearshift showing high-definition videos, 3-D maps and Web pages.

Granted lots of prototypes are displayed at these trade shows without any intention of bringing the concept to market. This time I don't think the technology will remain a prototype. The trick will be to make the technology readily available while decreasing the risks of accidents. Many of us view internet access as practically a necessity. We all know that necessity is the mother of invention.

FYI- Don't forget that it is now illegal in Illinois to send, read, or write text messages, emails, or any other type of electronic messaging while driving.