Apple helps to drive safe with Do Not Disturb feature

Apple unveiled a host of new products, updates and software features at its annual Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) on Monday, and one of them could potentially save lives. The upcoming iOS will include a feature called 'Do Not Disturb While Driving" that will make it easier to avoid texting while driving. By all indications, it's rather simple tool from a technological standpoint — but if it works as advertised, iPhone's 'Do Not Disturb' feature could prevent car accidents and traffic fatalities, which is more than enough to make it a worthwhile update.

iOS 11 will conclude that a user is driving under one of two circumstances: If their phone connects to a car's Bluetooth interface, or if the wifi antenna determines that the phone is moving at a fast enough speed. But although Apple hasn't released the exact details of how this will work, it's easy to imagine scenarios in which it might fall short: If a user doesn't have a Bluetooth system in their car and their wifi is turned off, the feature presumably wouldn't have any way of kicking in. And it could conceivably result in false positives — if, for instance, someone with their wifi turned on gets onto a bus, or is a passenger in a car being driven by someone else.

Notably, Apple is announcing the new feature six months after it was sued for not including one like it in a case involving a fatal car crash that was blamed on a teenager driving while using the iPhone's FaceTime video calling app.

Lastly,Apple updated its Maps app with lane guidance so drivers are alerted which lane they should be in for things like exiting the freeway. The company also added detailed indoor Mall and Airport maps so you can find your gate and the nearest Sbarro.