Textalyzer would force your phone to spy on you, alert police if you used the device before a crash

It’s a technology being developed by Cellebrite, the folks who recently helped the FBI crack open that San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone. This “textalyzer” would let authorities determine if a user may have been distracted prior to a crash by forcing the device to tattle on its owner. This tech is being compared to breathalyzers, which determine the alcohol content of a driver’s blood. Similarly, textalyzer tests could be taken on the roadside at the scene of an accident.

The development of this technology is going forward hand in hand with a stack of proposed legislation working its way through the New York legal system. This legislation would compel any drivers involved in a car accident to submit their phones for analysis. These bills are currently being considered by the New York Senate Transportation Committee, and they make special provisions regarding user privacy.

In fact, the hangup involving the development of the technology is not to get it working, but rather to make it comply to these standards. Cellebrite actually already has technology available that can check a phone’s recent activity on the fly, but the problem is that it would give officers far too much information about the user’s phone useage, potentially violating constitutional rights. While lawmakers work to make handing over your phone at the scene of an accident compulsory, the Israeli firm is working on making their technology less invasive.

Whether or not this will go into law remains to be seen. In the meantime, what are your thoughts regarding textalyzer technology? An invasion of privacy or a helpful tool in the hands of authorities to establish accident culpability? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned to Android Authority for all the latest tech news.