Ray LaHood, the U.S. transportation secretary, recommended today that automakers equip new cars with controls to disable some kinds of in-vehicle technology while the car is in motion -- to limit the safety hazard of distracting drivers with communication, entertainment and other functions that are not required to operate the car safely. [See 2/16/12 story.]

The driver would have to stop the car and put the transmission in "park" to perform functions on built-in gadgets including texting, Web browsing, 10-digit phone dialing, and viewing more than 30 characters of a text message unrelated to driving. 

These functions would be enabled in moving cars only for devices that are used by passengers and cannot be viewed by drivers. ... [MORE]

A little late to the navigation app party, Garmin announced its entry into the iPhone arena.

Remember when MapQuest was the online mapping standard? MapQuest hopes to return to its once dominant position with a new yet familiar look.

Google says its developing its turn-by-turn navigation for other smart phone platforms. Even the iPhone?

It's coming on Christmas. They're cutting down trees. And Interstate 40 is still closed at the Tennessee border, because of an Oct. 25 rock slide.

NCDOT is using dynamite and dump trucks to remove tens of thousands of tons of boulders, to repair the roadway - and (hopefully) to stabilize the hillside so this won't happen again. I-40 won't reopen until spring.

If your holiday plans include a drive through the Smokies, you'll want to take care in choosing your route. (And if you've found a good one, please let me know by e-mail or in a blog comment below.)

NCDOT is sticking with its suggestion that drivers stick with interstate highways: ... [MORE]

Russell Barrett reports that there's more than one way to get around the rock slide that closed Interstate 40 a month ago just east of the Tennessee border. (See today's story, with a map of NCDOT's recommended detour.)

How you get there depends on where you ask for directions. Barrett found that some online mapping services will lead you into trouble - but some give good guidance.

Here's what he found when he consulted four of them. (I've added links to the specific maps and directions.)

After reading of the continued problems with I-40 in the mountains this morning, I checked four online mapping programs to see if they were aware of the situation. I used Lake Junaluska as the starting point and Knoxville TN as the finish.

The results: they batted .500.

Yahoo and Google maps both routed around I-40. ... [MORE]