Texting drivers to get barking mad
New phone app designed to discourage people from texting while they driveAn 11-year-old girl has come up with a new smartphone app that detects when motorists are trying to drive and text at the same time.
Dubbed RodeDog, the app works by tracking the GPS signal of the user to determine whether they are behind the wheel while they text.
Users can create a network or 'pack' of family members, friends and acquaintances who will be notified if they attempt to drive and use their phone at the same time.
Once notified, those in the pack can then send alerts to the driver – in the form of audible dog barks – to remind them they should be concentrating on the road.
The barking noises continue until the app detects that the phone has been put down.
Led by 11-year-old Victoria Walker and designer David Grau, the team behind the idea came up with the concept as part of the AT&T Mobile App Hackathon for the company's "It Can Wait" campaign.
After claiming first prize at the event, RodeDog now has $US20,000 behind it to bring the technology to market.
Developers hope to release RodeDog as a free download for iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices before the end of this year.
Check out the official RodeDog website for updates on the app.
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