Texi wants to give you free stuff for not texting and driving

Texi, launched today by the Dilawri Foundation, is a free incentive-filled mobile app designed to encourage people to stop texting and driving.

The idea is that users activate Texi before they start driving, and then earn one point for every minute they travel without touching their smartphone. At the end of the month, they are then entered into a draw that includes prizes like gift cards, smartphones, travel vouchers, gas cards, and more.

The more points a user earns, the larger the potential prize. For example, users who take advantage of the app for more than 15 minutes are entered into a draw that gives them the opportunity to win a Honda Fit.

“In our connected culture, it is important for Canadian drivers to have access to well-designed apps which effectively fulfill their need to stay in touch while eliminating the risks that come with distracted driving,” said Kap Dilawri, co-founder of The Dilawri Foundation, in a recent statement sent to MobileSyrup. “Our goal with Texi is to take the driving experience one step further by getting drivers excited about using the app as soon as they get into the car and before they start driving.”

Texi also has a social aspect to it; when the app is turned on while driving, it auto-responds to incoming texts with various memes, but this feature only seems to be compatible with Android devices. Users are able to select from a pre-set library of various memes, all related to letting the sender know that you’re currently behind the wheel and unable to respond.

Twenty-two percent of Canadian drivers admit that they text and drive, while 90 percent believe the act of doing so is a socially unacceptable activity.

While Texi is largely an elaborate advertisement for the Dilawri Group, a network of Canadian car dealerships, it does hold some merit and is an inventive and interesting attempt at encouraging drivers to stop texting and driving.

Texi is available for free on iOS and Android.

[source]Newswire[/source]