Why You Should Not Wear Google Glass While Driving

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Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has been showing off its Google Glass wearable computer for the last eighteen months or so, and the device has come up against its share of criticism. A new case emerged this week. Apparently driving with the device may get drivers a ticket in California. A woman was written up for driving with the device on her face yesterday.

Why You Should Not Wear Google Glass While Driving

According to a BBC report on the story, Cecilia Abadie was pulled over on October 30 for speeding. She was issued a ticket for the infraction, and for wearing Google Glass while driving. Wearing the device was apparently an infraction of vehicle code 27602, which makes driving while viewing a monitor illegal.

Driving with Google Glass

Ms. Abadie says that she is innocent of the crime because Google Glass was turned off while she was driving. She says that she often drives while wearing the device, but never drives while it is on. Some of her defenders have asserted that wearing the device could be construed as viewing a GPS which is legal under the code.

Ms. Abadie is apparently deciding whether or not to seek legal recourse for the alleged mistake. If she does decide to dispute the decision it might be an important one for Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG). The company has already faced issues with the usage of its device. Privacy and safety concerns have been chief among the reasons that some have sought to restrict the use of the device.

Google Glass may be able to be used as a GPS device, but it is difficult to prove whether or not the driver was using the device in such a manner exclusively. Executives at Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) will be watching the case closely in order to see the response the legal system has to Google Glass.

Google Glass release

There has been no real indication from Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) about when its wearable computer Google Glass is to be released. The company has shown off the device, and offered a limit supply to developers, but it hasn’t announced its plans for a consumer version.

If and when the company does decide to do a full release of the product, there are sure to be problems with appropriate usage. The device is able to record people without their knowledge, and might make driving and other activities more dangerous.

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