Driving While Geeky: Gal Ticketed for Google Glass Takes California Cops to Court

Cecilia Abadie appeared in court today to contest
a ticket she received for driving while
wearing Google Glass. The tech entrepreneur was dinged on
October 30 under a California law that prohibits operating a motor
vehicle while “a monitor, screen, or display is visible to the
driver.” She was also speeding.

The case is being
watched closely for hints about how courts will treat the
novel tech:

“It’s a big responsibility for me and also for the judge who is
going to interpret a very old law compared with how fast technology
is changing,” said Abadie, who wears Google Glass up to 12 hours a
day.

Adabie says her wearable computer was off while she was
driving—or at least her lawyer says that there’s no way the highway
patrol could tell if itwas on—but let’s be honest: People will be
driving while using Google Glass very very soon, if they aren’t
already. There are about 30,000 headsets in operation right now,
with a broader release expected soon. 

In at least three states—Delaware, New Jersey, and West
Virginia—driving while Google Glassed may soon be explicitly
illegal. 

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that all this
is likely the tip of the
iceberg: 

Hyundai, the South Korean automaker, is
already integrating technology that will allow Google
Glass to interact with its new-generation Genesis sedan. According
to a Stuff.com.nz report, Hyundai’s new Blue Link application will
allow drivers to access service information and start their car
using the eyepiece.

In the end, though, Google (like beer) may be the cause of and
solution to all of life’s problems. The whole thing could be a moot
point in a couple of years when we start getting around in Google’s
self-driving cars, or at least being shuttled from place to
place in black cabs summoned using our Google Glass via the

Google-funded Uber car service.