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A new car ignition key can preclude teenagers from talking on mobile phones or sending text messages while driving. The invention, by researchers at the University of Utah, is called Key2SafeDriving and is targeted at cutting down on road fatalities. It relies on Bluetoothor RFID to wirelessly connect phones to keys. Motor vehicle accidents are the 5th leading cause of all deaths in the US. Among teens, vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death.  While at any given moment, 6% of drivers on the road are talking on a mobile phone, 10% of teenagers do the same. Incoming calls and texts are automatically answered with a voice message: “I am driving now. I will call you later when I arrive at the destination safely.”

The university has obtained initial patents and licensed the invention to a private company that is intending to market it within 6 months at a cost lower than $50 per key plus monthly service fee. The system components include a device that encloses a car key. To turn on the engine, the driver must either slide the key out or push a button to release it. Subsequently the device sends a signal to the driver’s mobile phone, placing it in “driving mode” and displaying a “stop” sign on the phone’s screen. The setup could allow parents  to pay lower insurance fees.