Apple Sued For Not Deploying Feature That Discourages Texting While Driving; Preventive Software Patented But Not Used

Jan 22, 2017 11:34 AM EST | Lasitha

Apple is now facing a possible class-action lawsuit in California. The tech giant company owned a technology that discourages its iPhone customers to text while they drive but did not deploy the technology on its mobile devices. 

Before the complaint was made, there were claims that Apple could have easily prevented its users to text while they drive from as early as 2008. Based on the information, a complaint was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. This complaint asked the court to order Apple to install its preventive software in all its devices and also asked the court to stop all sales of the company's phone until this is done. 

This is not the first time that the tech giant has been facing legal trouble over the same issue. Apple had the ability to prevent drivers from using their phones on the road.

This came out in the public when the company was granted a patent in 2014, which was first filed in 2008. According to the details of the patent, Apple made a technology that would forcibly lock the phone if the sensors that are attached to it senses that the user is in motion, reported Auto News.

Julio Ceja, the plaintiff of the lawsuit,  who was apparently injured in a car accident by another driver who was using her iPhone. The lawsuit that was filed represents all the residents of California. The lawsuit claimed that Apple placed its profits high above people's safety and hence failed to implement the technology as it could eat into its sales figures, reported Fortune.

Earlier, a product liability lawsuit was filed in a Texas federal court in July 2015. If the company had been responsible and implemented this before, it could have avoided a particular fatal crash that saw the end of two people and also paralyzed a young child. This lawsuit also highlighted the negligence of the company to implement its preventive technology. This case was dismissed after the preliminary hearing back then. 

The company did not make any official comment on the matter. However, this lawsuit might after all, force Apple to use its patented technology to prevent more road accidents.

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