[Porsche-O-Phile]

That's simply a typical "dumbed down response" kind of solution and unfortunately the kind that appeals to politicians.

I say do it like they do in a lot of European countries for driving or right here in the U.S. for flying privileges - make it performance based and require a special endorsement. If you can demonstrate competence on a DMV practical test every couple of years and are willing to pay an extra fee (with proceeds going into a fund to help pay for victims of "distracted driver-related accidents), fine. Otherwise, clam it until you're parked.

They do the same thing now for vehicles requiring special handling (larger trucks, air-brake equipped vehicles, busses, etc.) How is this so different?

By making it performance-based it also sets a good precedent to restrict future similar technologies. Make people prove they can park without their rearview cameras and navigate without being "heads down in the cockpit" looking at their GPS street map first - then if they can demonstrate they're competent with the technologies, fine.

This would also have the added benfit of education since a lot of the "it's the other guy, not me" types would flunk the practical test and maybe learn that, gee-whiz, it really does impair peoples' driving and in their case that they actually ARE the "other guy".

I say factor it in to insurance rates too - ditto with other distracting crap in vehicles like DVD players and other doodads. Same for having more than a certain number of small children in the vehicle at the same time - I see a lot of distracted "soccer moms" out there trying to manage their screaming brats. The faster we can get people to realize that they ARE the "other guy" and make 'em pay for it, the better. Some people cope with distraction better and can function better and the rates/policies should reflect this, but in general I say get people to look out the damn windows once in a while and pay attention.

There's a related discussion buried in here about why we ought to really make eliminating traffic-related delays a priority. People are more prone to daydreaming or viewing driving as a "waste of time" if it is. Get everything moving along at reasonable speed and people will actually pay attention, IMHO.