Good idea, but I could only see this being used by parents in their kids cars. I can't imagine anybody installing this themselves for their own use. If you are the type to be concerned with the risks involved with mobile use while driving then you most likely already avoid it. Thus this device is useless to these people. If you are the type that doesn't care because of whatever personal reason, then you wouldn't install it in your car. So this device is useless to them as well. Again, good idea but I just don't see it being adopted very widely at all.

I can see car insurance companies using this to lower rates as stated in the article. Though it could also be something forced on people by their insurance companies once they have been involved in a texting related accident. It seems wrong that people can't have at least the smallest amount of common sense when driving. A vehicle is a deadly machine in the hands of an inattentive driver, deadlier still, in the hands of a driver that thinks they are the exception to the rule.

The younger generations are more important to try to model better behavior to. Insurance companies already have apps and discounts student drivers can earn. The industry is already making efforts to teach and encourage safer driving among young people. The least experienced driver raises the premium for a household by a great deal. The incentive for parents to install it would be there including possible discounts for their use of the device. It's a great idea.

This is a stop-gap measure that is bound to fail even at that.

Calls and SMS are the least of problems, Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram and other internet based applications will quickly replace voice and SMS (if they haven't already) as primary means of texting/talking while driving. And if this system limits or disables the modems, youngsters will find a way. This is the kind of idea that only works on the head of an idealist and dreamer, in the real world, what works is educating drivers.

Or, bring self driving cars going into mass production. Want to text or talk during a commute ? put the car in self driving mode and enjoy. So even if this guys system enters the market, it already comes with an expiration date on the near future.

You always have the issues here of what happens during an emergency situation. What if you need to report a drunk driver, or if you are in a situation where you need to call the police and you do not feel comfortable exiting your car or turning it off? In theory it is an interesting idea but I think that hands free technology will get good enough to make texting and driving a non-problem in the near future.