• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, June 6, 2011

Everyone is real excited about this social media thing, but at a certain point I think we all need to take a step back, take a couple deep breaths, and just try to calm down a little before someone gets hurt. For example: it's great that we can access social media via mobile devices, but when do mobile log-ins cross the line from convenient to crazy (and possibly criminal)?

On that note, in a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood asks a good question about some carmakers' plans to add social media functionality to on-board computer systems in new model cars, namely: "WTF are you thinking? Are you out of your friggin' minds?"

Okay, those weren't his exact words, but they capture the spirit of his reaction -- and mine -- to this bizarre development. What he actually said was: "There's absolutely no reason for any person to download their Facebook into the car. It's not necessary."

It's bad enough that drivers can already access the Internet behind the wheel via smartphones -- something else LaHood is at pains to discourage. The WSJ reports that BMW and Subaru are launching a public service announcement to deter all manner of distracting activity behind the wheel, including texting, tweeting, and Facebook.

Because we are all addicted to social media crack, however, it may be impossible (and unnecessary) to banish social media and the Internet in general from cars altogether, especially if information can be converted to audio format. On-board systems in new BMW models will make certain information available to drivers in brief, "heads up" announcements that don't require the driver to take his or her hands off the wheel or eyes off the road. Likewise GM is touting Facebook audio updates delivered through the Onstar system in its new Chevrolet Cruze.

Text-to-audio conversion for drivers isn't actually a new idea: Aha Mobile imports Web-based audio to automobiles through smartphone apps, allowing drivers to consume (and create) interactive content. It does this by delivering a variety of text-based content converted into audio form. GPS data allows Aha Radio to deliver contextually relevant content based on the user's location.

There are even some social networks focused specifically on people in their cars. One such service, DriveMeCrazy, allows drivers to complain about bad drivers through voice-activated commands. The aggrieved party just speaks the offending driver's license plate number to flag it, so they can "write a ticket" describing the offense at their leisure.

Of course, all this begs the question whether interacting with audio content through voice commands is entirely safe for drivers. True, it's probably less distracting than picking up a device and taking your eyes off the road, but I personally feel that cognitive (rather than physical) distraction is still dangerous to some degree. Although it's embarrassing -- like not being able to walk and chew gum simultaneously -- there are definitely times when I'm driving when I have to turn down the radio or tell the person in the passenger seat to stop yammering because I'm nearing sensory overload.