[fiat_tarun]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Teams on Android has been there for a while. I've used since 2019 on my Oneplus and on iOS since 2020. Its just the Android Auto support that's being rolled out now.
....

Ya, it has but I use AA everytime I am in the car and the mute / unmute never seemed to work for me, so official support for Teams now is good to hear.

[dileepcm]

Good move in my view. We all have all types of connectivity already in place and adding one more app does not harm anything. I take a lot of (audio) calls from car via Teams connected to car's Bluetooth and sometimes it helps save time.

However video/screenshare should be automatically getting disabled while cars are in motion.

[Small Bot]

Originally Posted by binand

I think some countries (UK?) legally requires employers to not engage employees on calls when they are driving. So in such countries you would be forbidden from doing this (joining any meeting while driving).

Your post is accurate. In the UK and a few EU countries, it can be illegal to call somebody even handsfree while driving. This will cover all Bluetooth devices too.

Depending upon the individual circumstances, drivers could be charged with ‘failing to have proper control of their vehicle’. Employers who require staff to use any mobile phone while driving for work could be prosecuted if an investigation determined that such use of the phone contributed to a crash.

My company has a Global Safe Driving programme where the direction is quite clear - You are not allowed to use your company-provided apps or devices while driving to work. If you do so and are involved in any accident, the company will not only absolve itself of any blame in a lawsuit, but also will reserve the right to initiate disciplinary action if there is evidence of staff violating the Safe Driving guidelines (like dashcam footage). This is more strictly enforced in the UK than in India though.

My opinion: This is just an attempt to generate revenue for Microsoft and Google, and is not really going to change much. The people who usually don't take calls while driving will continue to drive safely only.

[satish.gawai]

Working while eating is already a task and now they want us to work while driving as well.

God save us from such innovators. The next and only thing remaining is when they can get some productivity out of you even while you are sleeping.

Hope they allow us to sleep.

I actually think this is a positive move. People today join the call anyway and hence this is much safer way of doing it. I don't think one is expected to have a vehicle with AA and hence needs to join a meeting now that this support has been rolled out.

I have little contradictory opinion. Agree with you that today people are joining meetings through mobile while driving (which itself is wrong) which can lead to accidents. Now if you have TEAMS supporting AA, people will expect you to join and this may become the norm.

Imagine if someone is presenting the content on TEAMS, you want it or not you will get distracted towards the screen.

[binand]

Originally Posted by satish.gawai

Imagine if someone is presenting the content on TEAMS, you want it or not you will get distracted towards the screen.

We can hope that the product managers at Microsoft/Google are sufficiently pragmatic to ensure only voice calls work - not video, presentation/screen sharing, typing or anything else.

[fiat_tarun]

Originally Posted by satish.gawai

...

Imagine if someone is presenting the content on TEAMS, you want it or not you will get distracted towards the screen.

Google's own AA policies will not allow this. It will be for only audio and more features may be enabled when the car is parked and handbrake engaged. Let us wait for the release and see the method of implementation.

[Gedaliah]

I find normal audio calls on the phone itself taking away my focus from the road. Particularly if the calls involve some stress-inducing topic. Now coming to Teams calls, it would be work related of course. It might help sales teams who travel frequently. However, I feel that this is not really a hard requirement for most vehicle owners and is just another MicroSoft gimmick to stay in the news.

[RMN]

I'm glad, hope to see Zoom do it too. It isn't all that different from talking a normal call except for the fact that you need to mute/unmute. The obvious guess is that there isn't going to be any presentation support.

[silverado]

This is unneccesary stuff in my view, as it is screencast works, and during a teams meeting we are not going to anyways do a video call when driving, so a normal bluetooth pairing with car stereo also does the job.

Even if offered, people should refrain from using the screen too much when driving, multitasking is good, but not when driving.

[anand_roy]

I am strictly against taking calls while driving; however, there are very few instances where this cannot be avoided. Generally, I schedule a time in my calendar when I am driving back home, so that it is blocked and generally that ensures no calls are scheduled.

However, in few cases where there is an urgent need, this will be of good help. Having the controls on the infotainment system and/or through the steering controls will be helpful. Currently, even muting/unmuting on the phone is a task.

However, re-iterating again, taking calls while driving is a big no for me.

[raptor_diwan]

Haha, great news! Now, everyone in my family can witness firsthand the drama of my grumpy boss giving me a hard time and the non-stop annoyance of constant messages.

Apart from the joke, nothing seems to be wrong in this. When WhatsApp and Telegram are allowed, why not this? It would be easy to be connected in office work for bosses and stay updated on what happens in the meeting or whatever without wasting time elsewhere. It's like a podcast to attend meetings.

[shankar.balan]

At this rate no employee will have any peace left.
Perhaps we should consciously go the EU route.
No calls and emails after ~630pm on weekdays and absolutely no official communications all day and night on weekends and holidays.

The blurring of lines between work and personal time has resulted in many unhealthy practices and expectations too. One should not be forced into a situation of ‘Live to Work’. I actively encourage all my colleagues to avail of their holidays and leave time.

After all, people’s health and peace of mind contribute greatly to their overall well-being and their families well-being, which, from any Company’s Perspective, ultimately results in Happy, Productive and Efficient Employees and Happy Customers too.

In the end, in the final scheme of things, no ‘Boss’ or ‘Company’ is going to give Employees Brownie Points for ‘not taking leave’. And certainly their health will deteriorate.

Thats why I don’t endorse the way Communications and Technology are taking over all aspects of our loves.

[lemedico]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

No! This shouldn't even be allowed! You'll have people trying to multitask and end up in accidents!

Every tool has it's place and time. Our wild roads and rush hour is not one of them.

This is nothing! The new E-class and the 5 series cars come with a webcam on the dashboard so that you can partake in Skype /Zoom video conferences!

[nishsingh]

Oh God, please no! I would definitely crash my car if I were to hear the dreaded Teams ringtone on my Car's console /speakers.

As it is, I am already quite depressed by Teams ringtone at inopportune moments:

https://youtu.be/lB-KR1Yq6IY?si=hDHkiJcljr8g_LCr

[DudeWithaFiat]

Originally Posted by binand

I think some countries (UK?) legally requires employers to not engage employees on calls when they are driving. So in such countries you would be forbidden from doing this (joining any meeting while driving).

But how is it in practice? In my previous jobs, one of my British colleagues, working out of London office, have been on calls multiple times when he was driving.