Distracted driving: New York to introduce ‘Text Stops’ along state highways

By Trevor Mogg Published September 24, 2013

An AT&T survey earlier this year showed that 49 percent of adult drivers text while driving – that’s a lot of people at some point during their journey taking their eyes off the road to tap out a message on a tiny keyboard while in control of a fast-moving two-ton hunk of metal. Or not in control, as the case may be.

In a bid to persuade drivers to resist checking their phone whenever it beeps or pings or whatever sound it makes when a message arrives, New York State is to introduce so-called ‘Texting Zones’ along its major highways and thruways.

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Announcing the initiative on Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said a total of 298 signs with messages like “It can wait, Text Stop 5 miles”, will be positioned along the state’s busiest roads, pointing drivers to 91 Texting Zone locations.

The zones will cost nothing to build as they actually already exist in the form of rest stops and parking areas. It’s really all about the signage.

“New York State is continuing to use every tool at its disposal to combat texting-while-driving,” Cuomo said in a release announcing the initiative. “In addition to tougher penalties, new detection methods for state police and ongoing public outreach efforts, we are now launching special Texting Zones to allow motorists to pull over and use their phones.”

He added, “With this new effort, we are sending a clear message to drivers that there is no excuse to take your hands off the wheel and eyes off the road because your text can wait until the next Texting Zone.”

Recently released data shows New York State police handed out 21,580 tickets for distracted driving this summer compared to 5,208 in the same period a year earlier. While the massive 365 percent increase can be attributed in part to a recent enforcement crackdown by police in the state, the figure highlights the extent of the problem, with many drivers clearly unable to resist the lure of a beeping handset.

Cuomo will be hoping his new signs make drivers think twice about reaching for their phone and instead wait till they make it to the nearest Texting Zone.

[Images: Office of Andrew Cuomo]

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Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

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Waymo faces questions about its use of onboard cameras for AI training, ads targeting

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In an iconic scene from the 2002 sci-fi film Minority Report, on-the-run Agent John Anderton, played by Tom Cruise, struggles to walk through a mall as he’s targeted by a multitude of personalized ads from the likes of Lexus, Guinness and American Express, everytime hidden detectors identify his eyes.
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Asked for comments about the unreleased app update, Waymo told The Verge that it contained “placeholder text that doesn’t accurately reflect the feature’s purpose”.
Waymo’s AI-models “are not designed to use this data to identify individual people, and there are no plans to use this data for targeted ads,” spokesperson Julia Ilina said.
Waymo’s robotaxis, which are operating on the streets of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, do contain onboard cameras that monitor riders. But Ilina says these are mainly used to train AI models for safety, finding lost items, check that in-car rules are followed, and to improve the service.
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Backing up this idea is an equally bold strategy: selling accessories, apparel, and utility add-ons à la Harley-Davidson and Jeep’s MoPar division. You’re not just buying a vehicle; you’re buying into a lifestyle. Think affordable EV meets open-source car culture.
Slate's approach isn't just novel—it's almost rebellious. At a time when other startups risk folding under the weight of their own lofty ambitions, Slate is keeping things lean, scalable, and customer focused. The company reportedly plans to source major components like battery packs and motors from outside suppliers, keeping manufacturing costs low while focusing energy on design, experience, and upgrade paths.
Sure, it’s all been kept under wraps—until now. With plans to begin production near Indianapolis by next year, the wraps are about to come off this EV underdog.
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