Smart glasses could be about to face some heavy restrictions for drivers

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Smart glasses feel like they could finally be right on the cusp of going mainstream, just like we saw with smart watches well over a decade ago. But not everyone’s excited about their burgeoning popularity, and pushback against certain aspects of the tech keeps building momentum, too. While some lawmakers are concerned about legislating requirements for mandatory recording lights , others are turning their attention to the use of smart glasses when you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Smartphone bans for drivers are already quite pervasive, with many localities forbidding anything but hands-free phone usage. You might think that smart glasses would get a pass then, on account of them being largely designed around hands-free operation, but we’re already starting to see progress on legislation to restrict their usage.

The State of Illinois is preparing to amend its restrictions on the use of electronic communication devices while driving to now specifically target smart glasses (via Gizmodo ). But rather than explicitly carving out an exception for hands-free glasses, the new language does the exact opposite:

There’s similarly no distinction in here between audio-only glasses like Google and Samsung’s upcoming “ Intelligent Eyewear ” and glasses with built-in displays like the just-launched Snap Specs .

Right now, Illinois has passed its bill and it’s just waiting to be signed into law before the new restrictions take effect. With the way smart glasses are taking off, it feels like it’s just going to be a matter of time before we start seeing similar laws hit the books in other states.

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