Sunday, 1 September 2013 - 01:26
Netherlands must study Glass effect on road safety
The Dutch Government should study the possible effects of Google Glass on road safety, according to several political parties in parliament.In a response, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment says it is too early to say anything about the impact on traffic participation. The Ministry has as yet not specifically studied the matter yet and says discussing possible legislation is premature.
Google Glass is already available for several thousand developers, mainly in the United States. The glasses will not be on the market until 2014. Glass facilitates phone calls, but you can also install apps and surf the internet. The information is projected in front of the eyes.
google glass,
tedeytan,
Flickr Frankly, it seems stiff for the Ministry not to look into it, says SP MP Sharon Gesthuizen. People are often reluctant to say something about new innovation because it can impact the process negatively. However, it seems useful to monitor the developments and it would be beneficial if the Ministry just admitted to that, says Gesthuizen. The Netherlands often lag behind in anticipating new innovations. MP Gesthuizen assumes Google Glass requires separate legislation. These would probably only be minor changes in the law. And of course the changes should apply to the technology in general and should not mention Google Glass specifically. There is no need for new legislation for every new feature, says the SP MP. D66 Kees Verhoeven agrees with SP. Additional features in a car, besides calling, can be dangerous. You don't watch a movie on your navigation system either. The safety limits of Google Glass need to be monitored closely, according to Verhoeven. PVDA MP Attje Kuiken thinks it's too early for legislation. The Ministry first needs to study the effects on road safety, before imposing new laws. The VVD does not want to speak out against the use of Glass while driving, but MP Bart de Liefde thinks it should be addressed and promises that his party will keep an eye on the issue at least.
tedeytan,
Flickr Frankly, it seems stiff for the Ministry not to look into it, says SP MP Sharon Gesthuizen. People are often reluctant to say something about new innovation because it can impact the process negatively. However, it seems useful to monitor the developments and it would be beneficial if the Ministry just admitted to that, says Gesthuizen. The Netherlands often lag behind in anticipating new innovations. MP Gesthuizen assumes Google Glass requires separate legislation. These would probably only be minor changes in the law. And of course the changes should apply to the technology in general and should not mention Google Glass specifically. There is no need for new legislation for every new feature, says the SP MP. D66 Kees Verhoeven agrees with SP. Additional features in a car, besides calling, can be dangerous. You don't watch a movie on your navigation system either. The safety limits of Google Glass need to be monitored closely, according to Verhoeven. PVDA MP Attje Kuiken thinks it's too early for legislation. The Ministry first needs to study the effects on road safety, before imposing new laws. The VVD does not want to speak out against the use of Glass while driving, but MP Bart de Liefde thinks it should be addressed and promises that his party will keep an eye on the issue at least.
