Manufacturers develop solutions that block calls, messages and other notifications. In case of emergency, there are ways to circumvent the constraints imposed by the tools.
How many times did you answer calls or respond to messages while driving? Besides the possibility of being fined, the practice puts your safety at risk, but there are solutions. In order to minimize driving distractions, smartphone manufacturers are beginning to come up with tools – a sort of “car mode” – to manage the amount of times the phone rings while driving.
According to the Spanish newspaper ABC , many smartphone manufacturers are incorporating a system into the latest gadgets, which silences and manages notifications and incoming calls. However, these systems are still not easy to activate.
On Android devices (Samsung and LG), you need to download an application – the Car Mode – which is available on the Galaxy App and not on Google Play. From there, explains ABC, you will need to create a user account and, to activate the app, configure the voice and authorize the connection via Bluetooth with the car. With this tool, all applications are blocked, except for music or navigation apps.
A similar system is available on Apple’s iOS 11. To enable this mode, go to “Do not disturb” in “Settings” and select “Do not disturb while driving”. Afterwards, you must choose between “Manually”, “Automatically” (based on vehicle movement) or “If connected to the Bluetooth of the car”.
To set up, touch “Auto Answer To” and choose who receives a reply: No, Recent, Favourite, or All Contacts. Then select “Reply” to customize the message that will be sent: “I’m driving, so I have no way to bother while driving active. I’ll read your message when I get to my destination,” is Apple’s suggestion. If someone needs to get in touch with you, you can work around the “Do not disturb” mode by sending a message with the word “urgent”. In that case, you can either stop the car to read the message or ask Siri to do so.
When in this mode, iPhone displays some notifications, such as emergency alerts, timers, and alarms . And you can configure the options: only be alerted if the person calls twice in a row, for example.