technology

It is hard to think of any public safety issue that has received more attention over the last few years than the use of smartphones while driving…

Oakland and Berkeley residents have an exciting new mobility option after the launch of GIG, a one-way car share service by AAA and Ridecell.

On the eve of construction, the Trump Administration has dealt a crippling blow to the Caltrain Electrification project, the Bay Area’s most critical transportation investment.

There are plenty of accessories you can buy for your commuter cyclist friends this holiday season. Here are five gift ideas that can help keep riders out of harm’s way.

One of Uber’s self driving cars was recently spotted by SFist while being driven (the old-fashioned way) through the streets of San Francisco.

Several Bay Area Transit agencies have recently experimented with offering on-demand bus services targeting suburban areas with traditionally low transit ridership.

According to the Washington Post of July 11, 2016, although Pokemon Go (the latest summertime craze made by Niantic, Nintendo, and the Pokemon Company) was released just five…

Earlier this week, GM CEO Mary Barra said she believes self-driving vehicles should continue to include steering wheels, brake pedals and accelerators as the technology develops. The state of California has already taken this position, requiring a licensed driver at the helm of all self-driving cars.

As long as bikes and cars share the same roads there’s inevitably going to be conflict. As much as we’d love to see protected bike lanes become more…

photo credit: 2420 via photopin (license)   It is clear that the object of romantic interest in the Beatles’ song never anticipated a self-driving (“autonomous”) car; but as…

This month, Hövding released an updated version of their “invisible” bike helmet that has taken Europe by storm. The Swedish startup produces an unobtrusive collar for cyclists that…

We’ve already written about the broad appeal of cycle tracks and Copenhagen’s sustainable bike superhighway, but this time it’s the self proclaimed “bike capital of the world” making…

For the vast majority of people, signal timing is not an exciting subject. Apart from traffic engineers and a select group of superwonks, few people pay attention to…

Mobile transportation apps are reshaping the data available to transportation planners and policymakers when it comes to active transportation. We’ve previously looked at Strava, an app which tracks…

A key challenge in planning, funding, and implementing bicycle and pedestrian projects is the lack of good data to guide policymaking. As Janie Nham notes on the NRDC…

As technology continues to become even more integrated into our everyday lives, existing laws can become fuzzy when it comes to how emerging technologies should be treated. Case…

One of the most common objections to wearing a bike helmet is that it’s simply not portable. Once you’ve arrived at your destination and chained your bike to…

Despite offering a good starting point, there’s still plenty of information missing when you look at the Walkscore of a specific location. As has been pointed out plenty…

Inspired by the woodpecker, a species that sustains severe impact to its head every time it pecks, Anirudha Surabhi set out to create a helmet capable of more…

With Governor Brown’s recent veto of the three foot passing bill, there’s a new product popping up specifically for cyclists looking to preserve a bit of personal space….

A Scandinavian company called Bikway is suggesting a new way of looking at what it takes to create bike infrastructure in major cities. In a video created as…

California is now the third state to legalize driverless cars, joining the ranks of Nevada and Florida in paving the way for what might be the new technology’s…

In the six states where texting and driving is still legal, employers are being placed in the unenviable position of having to discourage those driving on their behalf…

There are plenty of excuses people give for why they don’t wear a helmet. Reasons ranging from the understandable complaint that they’re bulky and hard to carry around…

SideCar, a new San Francisco-based company, is helping encourage ride shares with a new app that matches drivers with nearby passengers in need of a ride. The app…

Strava is currently being sued by the family of a 41-year-old engineer from Oakland, CA who died two years ago while trying to better a ‘King of the…

When it comes to cycling, using the proper hand signals is an essential element of making sure you’re riding safely. Now, a new helmet created by Exertion Games…

In a case that garnered national attention, a New Jersey judge recently ruled that the sender of a text message cannot be held responsible for accidents caused as…

Today U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a “Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving.” His new initiative pressures 11 states that currently do not have distracted driving laws to…

By a margin of 37-0, the California State Senate voted to approve a bill that will allow self-driving vehicles on California streets and highways. The bill (SB1298) was…

According to an observational survey recently released by The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), the number of drivers using cell phones while in transit jumped from 7.3…

Despite nearly all teen drivers saying they think it’s dangerous to text and drive, 43 percent continue to do it anyway. So, in an attempt to show teens…

Despite proposing guidelines for in-car technology back in February, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn’t plan to address voice controls until at least 2014. However, in the…

Even if you’re trying to be a responsible driver and refrain from using your phone while driving, there’s still a chance you’ll cause conflict before ever pulling out…

As we mentioned a few weeks back, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is pushing for legislation that would force states to require interlock devices for all drunk…

Volvo has always been at the forefront of safety technology, having developed a slew of features that other major car manufacturers have since copied (the three-point safety belt,…

A study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has determined that requiring an interlock device for people convicted of driving under the influence helps reduce the rate…

A recent study from UC Berkley’s Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) found that in examining data from the two years prior to, and two years following…

According to KidsAndCars.org, approximately 50 children are injured every week as a result of someone accidentally backing over them in a vehicle. Of those 50 injuries per week,…

The latest technological rumor circling search engine giant Google is that they’re developing a pair of glasses that can stream real-time information to the wearer’s eyes. This type…

Does integrating a 17-inch monitor into the dashboard of a car make the vehicle safer or just provide the driver one more giant distraction? Regardless of the answer,…

When it comes to cycling in San Francisco, one of the biggest barriers is the hilly terrain. Now, a new pilot program is looking to eliminate that hurdle…

Over the past week there has been significant press surrounding SecuraFone, a new distracted driving app designed to deny users access to their email or text messaging if…

With the number of cyclists in San Francisco continuing to increase, creating a safe environment for bike commuters poses a serious challenge. One option currently being explored in…

Finding street parking can be a massive headache. Drivers circle the block repeatedly; slowing to a near crawl whenever a space looks like it might be available, all…

Frank Douma is a Research Fellow and the Associate Director of the Humphrey School of Public Policy at the University of Minnesota, as well as a Research Scholar…

Late last week, one of Google’s robot-driven cars caused a minor car accident near the web mega-company’s campus in Mountain View, California. The accident involved five other vehicles, including another Google robot-powered car, but the company was quick to absolve their technology from any responsibility for the futuristic crash, saying that a human was driving the at-fault vehicle at the time. The accident indicates that Google’s vehicular experiment is setting the stage for a brave new world of potential street problems that that could make the question of legal liability following an accident much more complicated.

When it comes to cities that put a priority on bike safety, you can’t do much better than California’s Alameda County, the East Bay bicycle mecca that includes Berkeley. But Alameda County is also home to one of California’s most unexpectedly innovative towns when it comes to bike safety technology: Pleasanton. In fact, Pleasanton is using microwave technology to sense when cyclists are near an intersection that will trigger the light to stop cars and allow the cyclist through safely.

The short answer to the question above is a definitive “no.” With the rise of technology, distracted driving has become a serious problem on US roadways, contributing to nearly 6,000 deaths and 500,000 injuries each year, according to the NHTSA. To solve this problem, many have turned to dangerous distracted driving technologies that make it easier, not harder, to text and talk behind the wheel. Safety advocates and government officials have opposed this tactic, noting that it’s the conversation, not the device, which causes distractions. The best way to avoid distractions is to simply put down the phone while behind the wheel. But a new article by Keith Barry for Wired’s Autopia blog states that distractions might not be the worst thing.

How great would it be to drive to work without having to think about accidental low-speed car accidents? For years now, car companies have been researching collision avoidance systems, which use technology to alert the driver when a collision is possible. Volvo’s XC60 SUV forward collision warning system has received the most attention, and a recent report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicated that the warning system could lead to a significant reduction in car accidents. But is this a new example of dangerous distracted driving technology?

Automaker Ford has rightfully been praised in recent weeks for supporting New York legislation to ban distracted driving. This week, the auto giant became the first of it’s industry to endorse a ban against texting and talking behind the wheel, but as Streetsblog points out, their endorsement allows a major loophole that could stand in the way of the campaign to eliminate distracted driving car accidents. Although the bill prohibits the use of handheld devices behind the wheel, it permits the use of auto technology to facilitate hands-free conversations, which can still be distracting and potentially dangerous.

There has been much controversy surrounding the American Bar Association’s decision to evaluate and revise its position on social media for lawyers. The ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 has solicited guidance from dozens of lawyers across the country and has said repeatedly that any changes are not likely to be earth shattering. But views on both sides of this issue are strong and while some lawyers have been outspoken in their defense of social media, others have said that too much online interaction could cross important ethical borders. This week, the ABA released its initial proposal on the use of technology for client development, and for all intents and purposes, we’re looking at business as usual for lawyers and judges.

It’s always fun to write about good news related to traffic safety in San Francisco. That pleasure comes this week as the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency reports that in 2010, Muni bus accidents dropped 50 percent below the previous year. The improvement is attributed to a new camera installed in all Muni busses in November 2009 to record the cause of Muni accidents and monitor dangerous driving behavior of Muni operators. The 50 percent drop in bus accidents is an indication that the DriveCam will have a serious positive impact on San Francisco traffic safety.

Everyone knows that distracted driving is dangerous. There’s simply no safety replacement for staying focused on the road at all times. But when it comes to improving road safety, people seem divided about whether technology should make texting and talking on the phone easier in order to let the driver’s eyes remain on the road, or whether technology should prevent distractions by blocking cell phone use before the driver’s attention wanders. This week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have provided their answer with an effort to eliminate distracting technology behind the wheel.

There are certain procedures that car accident attorneys use to learn the full story of a collision. An investigator typically speaks to the drivers involved and eye witnesses, accident reconstruction experts depict the scene and how the accident took place, and the attorneys then begin settlement negotiations. While this procedure has proven effective, new high-tech automotive “black boxes” could change auto accident lawsuits by providing a snap shot into the seconds before an accident. The black boxes are modeled after technology already present in airplanes, but is much more controversial on the automotive level, as opponents claim they are unreliable, and an unnecessary infringement of personal freedom.

Over the past year, there has been a lot of discussion about Avvo’s impact on the legal profession. Critics have said that Avvo’s rating system appears arbitrary and fluctuates for no reason. Others, like Jay Fleishman, have praised the web startup for its great web presence and growing community. I’m an unabashed fan of Avvo, both for its innovative platform and its clever discussion of web and legal issues on the Avvo Blog and NakedLaw. For these reasons, among others, I’m growing more and more excited for next week’s Avvocating conference in Orlando, Florida.

Cars seem destined for distracted driving. Though it’s essential to pay attention to the road and traffic signs, most cars come equipped with a navigation screen, complicated control panel, or at the very least, a radio. So driver safety technology has a lot to compete with. But the matter is different for bicyclists, who aren’t protected by a metal and glass shield and must always be aware of their surroundings. But that doesn’t mean technology can’t help reduce bicycle accident injuries. In honor of National Bike Month we’ve compiled a list of five of the most interesting technologies designed to improve bicycle safety. Take a look, and let us know of others in the comments section or on our Facebook page.

With the rise of distracted driving, cell phones are often cited as villains that facilitate dangerous driving practices. But while distracting phone calls, text messages, and games are certainly a large part of the problem, a few tech companies have put significant resources toward developing smart phone applications that will actually make it easier to drive without distractions. Of course, this isn’t always the result. Earlier this month, for example, we listed the top five most dangerous distracted driving technologies. This week, in honor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, we’re focusing on the good innovations that could lead to a generation of safer cell phones and less distracted drivers. Take a look, and leave your thoughts in the comments section, or on our Facebook page.

When people talk about technology related to distracted driving, they usually mean gadgets that make the roads safer by making distracted driving more difficult. But thanks to the tech “arms race” among car manufacturers, these companies have a economic interest in providing high-tech solutions to distracted driving laws, even if they don’t make you safer. So as we enter into the second annual Distracted Driving Awareness Month, we wanted to highlight some of the most dangerous technologies designed to address distracted driving. Click through to take a look.

With just about every driving-related sector trying to make distracted driving less prevalent, is dashboard Facebook access necessary? Clearly, no. But that’s the newest development in a distracted driving “arms race” that has engulfed car companies, each trying to develop cutting edge technology designed to make distraction easier and safer behind the wheel. Of course, some are concerned that making technology easier to use while driving will automatically harm road safety. But due to our society’s focus on business, stopping this trend may be difficult.

Distracted driving has become a major problem nationwide, killing approximately 5,500 people and injuring nearly 500,000 each year. For that reason, safety advocates, policy makers and scientists have adopted an “all hands on deck” approach to eliminating the dangerous practice. A new intelligent vehicle control system developed by a group of German researchers has taken this effort to unprecedented levels, with a product that would enable to driver to control everything in the car, from the volume settings to temperature, with the wave of a finger.

At this point, just about everyone is on the anti-distracted driving bandwagon. Safety advocates, major celebrities, cell phone companies and more have joined Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to raise awareness about eliminating the dangerous practice. There are some notable holdouts, including the US auto industry, which has enhanced navigation and entertainment systems to improve slumping sales. This week, LaHood will meet with the country’s major automakers to seek help for his anti-distraction campaign. This raises the question of what role technology will have in distracted driving this year and throughout the coming decade.

Over the past year, Internet giant Google has grown closer to developing a car that can drive itself. The company, which has overseen seven cars traveling more than 140,000 miles, says that such vehicles could improve road safety by taking it out of the hands of drivers. But the idea could raise a number of questions related to safety and liability in the case of a car accident.

This past week, tech blogs have asked an important question for the future of distracted driving: why haven’t we mastered the technology to make cell phone use behind the wheel safe? While a number of car companies, cell phone service operators, and independent techies have probed Bluetooth, voice recognition, and text prediction as potential solutions, no safe driving technology is currently widely used and the number of distracted drivers continues to increase. To make matters worse, new research shows that these tech advances could have a minimal impact, at best, on driver safety.

Generally, I’m not a fan of efforts to reduce distracted driving among teens by scaring the crap out of them. There are all sorts of stats that clearly portray the dangers of distracted driving: last year, it was responsible for nearly 600,000 deaths; it is the number one killer of teenagers; and it’s just as dangerous as driving while drunk. But if teens today are a fraction as stubborn as I was as a teenager, listing statistics to kids won’t have a lasting effect. Instead, consider testing a distracted driving simulator on your teenager and let him or her be the judge.