Nissan uses 180 year-old invention to tackle smartphone distraction behind the wheel

Nissan GB has adopted a technology that’s almost 200 years old to create a concept solution for reducing the growing problem of smartphone distraction at the wheel. The Nissan Signal Shield is a prototype compartment within the arm rest of a Nissan Juke that is lined with a Faraday cage, an invention dating back to the 1830s, consisting of an enclosure made of a conductive material, such as wire mesh, which blocks electromagnetic fields. Once a mobile device is placed in the compartment and the lid closed,
May 4, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
838 Nissan GB has adopted a technology that’s almost 200 years old to create a concept solution for reducing the growing problem of smartphone distraction at the wheel.


The Nissan Signal Shield is a prototype compartment within the arm rest of a Nissan Juke that is lined with a Faraday cage, an invention dating back to the 1830s, consisting of an enclosure made of a conductive material, such as wire mesh, which blocks electromagnetic fields.

Once a mobile device is placed in the compartment and the lid closed, the Nissan Signal Shield creates a silent zone, blocking all incoming and outgoing cellular, 1835 Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. Connections are restored by opening the armrest.

The concept is designed to give drivers a choice about whether to eliminate the distractions caused by text messages, social media notifications and app alerts. Drivers can still listen to music or podcasts stored on their smartphone by connecting to the car’s entertainment system via the USB or auxiliary ports.

Related Content

  • April 4, 2012
    Nissan taxi of tomorrow makes world debut in New York
    The first full vehicle prototype of the Taxi of Tomorrow, the 2014 Nissan NV200, is being featured at the 2012 New York International Auto Show which is open to the public from 6-16 April. After a rigorous, two-year competitive bid selection process, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) selected the Nissan NV200 Taxi in May 2011 as the exclusive taxi of New York City, beginning in late 2013. The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the Design Trust for Public Space and Smart Design also ha
    Read More
  • May 16, 2012
    Nissan Leaf gets top safety rating from Euro NCAP
    Euro NCAP (the European New Car Assessment Programme) has awarded the 100% electric Nissan Leaf the highest five star car safety rating following its performance in the independent organisation's stringent crash tests. It is the first electric vehicle ever to earn this distinction.
    Read More
  • October 15, 2020
    Saving the smartphone zombies from themselves
    As roads – particularly in cities – become busier, companies are fielding a steady trickle of products to keep pedestrians safe and vehicles flowing
    Read More
  • April 28, 2017
    Experiment discovers ‘deadliest distractions’ at the wheel
    Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart and UK car magazine Auto Express teamed up to find out which are the deadliest behind-the-wheel distractions with programming a sat-nav found to be the worst. Auto Express consumer editor Joe Finnerty and British Formula 3 hopeful Jamie Chadwick were put to the test in a professional racing simulator at Base Performance Simulators in Banbury. They were both assessed to see how they coped with the most common distracting tasks on UK roads, while completing timed laps and bra
    Read More

Highlighted Content