The tech giant is seen lobbying officials in 3 or more states, trying to stop proposed restrictions on driving with Google Glass.


At least 8 US states with a total population of 39 million people are currently considering legislation restricting the use of Google Glass behind the wheel. The legislators are concerned that wearing the devices while driving will make people pay more attention to their email than the road, and this could cause accidents.

In the meantime, industry experts admit that so-called wearables like Google Glass, smart watches and sophisticated health devices may become the next huge shift in technology, just like smartphones evolved from PCs. Google is still testing its Glass and currently charges $1,500 per pair.

The tech giant has hired lobbyists to persuade elected officials in several states that it isn’t necessary to restrict use of the device behind the wheel. The representatives of legislators in other states admit they haven’t yet been contacted by Google. In the meantime, courts are starting to consider the matter. For example, a woman’s traffic ticket for wearing Google Glass behind the wheel was dismissed recently due to the lack of proof that the device was operating during driving.

Google insists that regulation is premature, at least because Google Glass isn’t yet widely available. When asked about its lobbying efforts, the company said that tech issues are a big part of current policy discussions in the US states. Google was scheduling Glass demonstrations across the country trying to educate the public on how the technology works.

However, campaigns against distracted driving have gained considerable traction in the US. According to the statistics, over 3,000 people died in car crashes in 2012 because of texting or other activities. So far, it is known that no states have passed Google Glass restrictions. A Google representative was seen lobbying against the bill by forwarding a news article about the San Diego court case to show that the courts are taking a dim view towards prosecutions.

Google officially advised people engaged in Glass field tests to abide by state legislation that limits use of mobile devices while driving.