Sounds simple right? All you have to do is put your phone down and you’ll earn yourself a free cup of coffee, but is it really as simple as that and how easy would it be for you to execute? The way vehicles are equipped today we have infotainment systems that can read our texts to us once the phone is connected to the Bluetooth system and these systems are meant to allow you to put your phone down and drive with your hands free to be on the wheel even while you talk on the phone.
With so many cars equipped with Bluetooth and these headsets still a strong seller doesn’t it seem like our culture should be of safer driving with our phones put away where we can’t use them? Maybe someone should invent a device that does that for you. If you had to put your phone on a pad in the car and the infotainment system would connect directly to your phone while hiding it away until you parked and took the key out you wouldn’t be able to drive with the distraction of looking at your phone. This would be a great way for the car to charge your phone while driving as well.
As you can see I digress, but I also am annoyed by so many people who think its ok to be on the phone, texting or reading while driving. Even talking with the phone up to your ear is bad because it takes away one of your hands for this purpose. Thankfully Japan has come up with a solution that we need here in the US. They offer free coffee when you drive a specific distance without using your phone.
Three companies have collaborated to create an app that records the distance driven without touching your phone. All you have to do is set the phone face down and let it record the distance you drive. After the first 100 km you receive a free coffee and then another ever 200 km thereafter. This project has the support of Toyota, KDDI Corporation and Komeda which is the coffee company in this case. While it’s not the first time we’ve seen a reward program for driving without your phone being a distraction, it’s the first to offer coffee for the task of driving.
In the US, this would be a great program for Starbucks to get on board with, which would certainly lower the number of drivers who are driving distracted. Insurance companies need to pay attention to this app and what it means as well. Currently they only track your driving habits regarding speed and braking, but they should record your phone usage while driving as well and offer discounts for driving without being distracted. We live in a day and age where everything we do is on our phones and so many car companies have found ways to integrate phones into the infotainment system that there really isn’t any excuse for this behavior except laziness. Those lazy, distracted drivers are the ones who are going to cause an accident and maybe they need a little coffee incentive to get them to put the phone down. How about it Starbucks?
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