Posted on

Ford and Life360 Team Up to End Distracted Driving

The National Occupant Protection Use Survey reveals that at any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cellphones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010.

The use of electronic devices increases the possibility for fatal car accidents, so Ford and Life360 have partnered to improve car safety by offering in-car use of Life360.

Since its 2008 launch, Life360 has gained 48 million families on its location and communication platform. The free app was retooled for Ford when Drive Mode was launched in 2014.

Life360 will be accessed in Ford vehicles with the new Drive Mode feature that alerts friends and family when the user is in a car and requests that they avoid getting in touch while the user is driving.

Drive Mode works by connecting the driver’s smartphone to Ford’s SYNC system. It allows users to navigate apps and communicate hands-free via their smartphone as they drive. When the phone is connected, it notifies Life360 that a user is in a vehicle.
Then it prompts Life360’s Drive Mode feature to send a message to everyone in the driver’s circle of family and friends. The message requests people not to text the driver. Then a follow-up message is sent when the device is removed.

By requesting a person’s location who is in your circle, the system pinpoints the person’s location on a map and offers an address.

As technology takes over our lives, it can become a helpful tool to protect us and our families. The Drive Mode feature is just one step to improve the way people drive and prevent accidents.