Driving While Geeky: Gal Ticketed for Google Glass Takes California Cops to Court
Cecilia Abadie appeared in court today to contest a ticket she received for driving while wearing Google Glass. The tech entrepreneur was dinged on October 30 under a California law that prohibits operating a motor vehicle while "a monitor, screen, or display is visible to the driver." She was also speeding.
The case is being watched closely for hints about how courts will treat the novel tech:
"It's a big responsibility for me and also for the judge who is going to interpret a very old law compared with how fast technology is changing," said Abadie, who wears Google Glass up to 12 hours a day.
Adabie says her wearable computer was off while she was driving—or at least her lawyer says that there's no way the highway patrol could tell if itwas on—but let's be honest: People will be driving while using Google Glass very very soon, if they aren't already. There are about 30,000 headsets in operation right now, with a broader release expected soon.
In at least three states—Delaware, New Jersey, and West Virginia—driving while Google Glassed may soon be explicitly illegal.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that all this is likely the tip of the iceberg:
Hyundai, the South Korean automaker, is already integrating technology that will allow Google Glass to interact with its new-generation Genesis sedan. According to a Stuff.com.nz report, Hyundai's new Blue Link application will allow drivers to access service information and start their car using the eyepiece.
In the end, though, Google (like beer) may be the cause of and solution to all of life's problems. The whole thing could be a moot point in a couple of years when we start getting around in Google's self-driving cars, or at least being shuttled from place to place in black cabs summoned using our Google Glass via the Google-funded Uber car service.
