WASHINGTON-The trade association for state legislators said recently it will try to find “common ground” on the use of wireless devices while driving.
“Our goal was to bring the various stakeholders together. Safety advocates in the same room with telecommunications carriers, automobile manufacturers and state legislators on both sides of the issue to develop policy objectives and find common ground. Our constituents, the state legislators, want to find the common ground,” said Matt Sundeen, senior policy specialist and telematics project director for the National Council of State Legislatures.
NCSL said it has entered a partnership with interested parties, including Sprint PCS and Cingular Wireless Inc., to help provide state legislators and their senior staff with policy options as they examine safety issues related to telematics in motor vehicles.
The Telematics Project will focus on wireless technologies used in motor vehicles, including phones, fax machines, navigation systems, computers and emergency response systems.
“State legislators will need to understand the policy, safety and technology issues at stake in order to make informed decisions, said William Pound, NCSL executive director, noting “experts predict that by 2010, the global market for telematics technology will be as high as $50 billion.”
There are bills in 31 states that would restrict the use of handheld wireless phones while driving, Sundeen said, and an additional 70 that deal with automotive technology in addition to the minor restrictions imposed in California, Florida and Massachusetts.
Verizon Wireless, which has advocated using hands-free devices in Illinois, has not yet signed on to the project, Sundeen said.
Attempts to reach Verizon Wireless before RCR Wireless News’ deadline were unsuccessful.
NCSL will convene three forums to discuss policy options to assist state legislators as they weigh the benefits of telematics technology against driver distractions. The forum will include legislators, legislative staff, and representatives from the telecommunications industry, motor vehicle manufacturers, insurance companies, government regulators, law enforcement officials and traffic safety advocates. The first forum will be June 12-13 in Kansas City. The other two will follow in September and December although plans are not finalized, said Sundeen.
Following the December forum, NCSL will establish a database to track state legislation on the subject and issue a report on the project’s findings.
Besides Sprint and Cingular, other partners include General Motors Corp., which has a major investment in the On-Star telematics system, and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
