Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Silence, Please!: Interrupting In-Car Phone Conversations, Soledad López Gambino, Casey Kennington, David Schlangen

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Holding phone conversations while driving is dangerous not only because it occupies the hands, but also because it requires attention. Where driver and passenger can adapt their conversational behavior to the demands of the situation, and e.g. interrupt themselves when more attention is needed, an interlocutor on the phone cannot adjust as easily. We present a dialogue assistant which acts as 'bystander' in phone conversations between a driver and an interlocutor, interrupting them and temporarily cutting the line during potentially dangerous situations. The assistant also informs both conversation partners when the line has been cut, as well as when it …