Does a mobile phone / laptop not equal a radar detector?

My friend and I are building a startup to create a radar detector that shares hits via a cell phone (iPhone / Android).

This way other drivers who don't have a radar detector can see the radar traps. (the system will show other things as well)

Since commercial truck drivers are banned from using detectors, would this system be considered illegal?

Are commercial truck drivers forbidden by DOT regs from using iPhone apps?


Any thoughts on the regs would be appreciated. (maybe I should have posted this in the regs forum...)

 

Hmm, that's interesting thought, but is using a moving map application or a GPS device illegal? Those get info from the net while driving.

Well, you don't operate this device while driving, it's automatic.

The phone is mounted on your dashboard. So, you aren't talking on the phone, and the updates happen automatically.

You don't have the detector in your cab, you pick up the radar hits from the four wheelers that have the detectors, and the info from the server.

The hits are displayed real time on your phone.

 

The project is visible on KickStarter. If you want to get an early copy of it, visit:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ari-krupnik/hazmap-open-everything-radar-detector

Note: I'm not the guy in the video.

 

That's a brilliant thought, disabled while moving. It may come to that, BUT if a user is hands free, then it's not a problem.

Why would it be illegal to use? It's just an app, on a phone.

If you get the phone call while driving, I assume it's hands free usage right?

The phone call would come through, the app just dies. When the phone call is over, the app comes back up.

Simple.