Apple update lauded by road safety charity

WELLINGTON: Apple has used its latest update to make driving with your iPhone safer and it has been welcomed by a road safety charity.

The new iOS 11 update will be available as a free update for supported iPhones and iPads in about September.

It will have a new mode, Do Not Disturb While Driving, which, when used, will detect whether someone is driving and turn off all notifications and the iPhone screen.

The aim, Apple says, is to increase driver focus when at the wheel.

A user who texts a phone with the new function enabled will receive an automatic reply saying the person is on the road and unavailable.

Brake, a road safety charity which promotes road safety campaigns, says mobile use by drivers is a growing issue in New Zealand and Apple is playing its part in cutting back distractions.

‘‘Drivers who use phones at the wheel have been found to be four times more likely to be in a crash resulting in injuries . . . so it’s great to see some phone manufacturers playing their part in helping to cut distractions,’’ Brake director Caroline Perry said.

Ms Perry said advances in technology should also be accompanied by enforcement and tough penalties for those who break the law by speaking on their phones or texting while driving. — NZN