Distraction Alert: Live Traffic Hits the iPhone

In yet another computerized bit of mobile wizardry that is sure to take drivers' eyes off the road, a Mac aficionado has developed software for the iPhone called Mobileyes. The application helps commuters avoid rush hour traffic by viewing live traffic camera feeds on the fly and right on the screen of an iPhone.

Currently, the application works only in selected areas of major American cities. These include Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Knoxville, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. More cities are in the works.

We tried using the app--while sitting at our desk--to check out the traffic on Detroit's I-94 heading west through Inkster, and it looked just lovely. Periodic updates refreshed the screen, with a lovely ad interstitial that showed Detroit TV anchor Huel Perkins. Gotta pay the bills, Fox5.

However, iPhone phreaks and other handheld abusers are likely to put this feature into use while driving. Unlike navigation systems that require lots of pushbuttoning, the iPhone version is easy to click through while driving--which means you'll use it that much more often. With cities such as Los Angeles now cracking down on talking and texting while driving, Mobileyes adds to the debate on the number of in-car distractions facing the modern driver.

Visit 3rd Dimension, Inc.'s site to learn more--and tell us in a comment if you've tried it and found it useful, or if you're in the hospital as a result.

Via Geekologie