Ford has been working on new ways to combat distracted driving for quite a while now, and the company doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. Currently, the American auto brand is working on what it calls a "driver workload estimator," which is a way to block some functionality of MyFord Sync and Touch, including text messages and incoming calls.

This "do not disturb" feature will gather heart rate, respiration, and temperature readings through a special steering wheel and seat belt. This would keep incoming phone calls at bay when the driver is merging or in other various "stressful" driving situations.

Manager of Vehicle Design and Infotronics for Ford Research and Innovation, Gary Strumolo, explains, "In addition to using existing vehicle data to estimate demand on the driver, we're researching ways to get an even better understanding of the stress level of the driver. Biometric or health information of the driver can help us better tailor the experience when behind the wheel." He also adds, "While these features are still in research, they show significant opportunity for us to leverage data already being captured by the vehicle and apply an intelligent decision-making system to simplify the driving experience."¹

Stay tuned for more updates, as they should be coming soon, right here Pearson Ford, conveniently located at 10650 North Michigan Road Zionsville, IN 46077. While you're waiting, why not check out our great selection of new Ford vehicles!

Source: ¹ http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/28/ford-working-on-automatic-do-not-disturb-function-to-combat-dr/