Illinois Could Become the First State to Ban Drivers From Wearing Smart Glasses

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Source: Gizmodo

A bill in Illinois has been passed and is now awaiting final approval by Gov. JB Pritzker that would make it illegal to use smart glasses while driving, effectively expanding the definition of “electronic device” under the law. If approved, Illinois would be the first state to expressly ban the use of smart glasses while driving. Other states, such as New York, have proposed prohibiting the use of “head-mounted portable electronic devices” while operating a vehicle, but none of those proposals have even reached a House or Senate floor.

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Fines for violating the law start at $75 and increase to $150 for repeat offenses. Anyone involved in a serious crash while wearing smart glasses could face misdemeanor or felony charges.

On the one hand, the move feels like a no-brainer, since slapping a screen on your eyeballs is the definition of distracted driving. And given the direction some companies that sell smart glasses are headed, a no-brainer law like this could be critical.

Amazon, for example, is actively developing smart glasses that would superimpose navigation onto the eyes of its drivers as they drive. Even the Meta Ray-Ban Display has a navigation feature, and though Meta strongly suggests that you don’t use it in a vehicle, it also doesn’t stop you from doing so.

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Read more: https://gizmodo.com/illinois-could-become-the-first-state-to-ban-drivers-from-wearing-smart-glasses-2000772999