In January 2015, Google pulled its high-tech eyewear off the market, and the company announced that it had "reset" the project.

Google Glass made quite a splash in 2012, when it was unveiled at a designer's convention. But some inside the project expressed dismay that the final development had to take place in public. The pressure to release a final product caused stress inside the team, which eventually led to Google Glass being shattered.

The wearable tech sparked a debate over technology vs. safety when a San Diego woman was cited for violating VC 27602, which makes it illegal to use a monitor that impedes driving. She was later found not guilty on a technicality: the state could not prove that the device was on when the woman was driving.

Google Glass may not be around anymore, but the questions remain. Hands-free tech was conceived, in part, to help reduce the number of distracted drivers. But has it helped or hurt?

A recent study found that hands-free tech increases mental distraction, one of the three key components of distracted driving. Researchers speculated that a stripped-down system with fewer features, as well as ending programs that convert voice to text, could make hands-free cell phones safer.

But that's probably not going to happen. Most consumers in Tulare County want more and not less. When the next generation of new cars appears in showrooms near you, their hands-free systems will almost certainly have more bells and whistles that their predecessors.

Despite efforts to essentially ban cell phones from cars, distracted driving is still a significant problem. Expect the legislature to broaden these laws in the near future.

Mark Bigger is committed to giving individuals a voice when dealing with speeding and traffic tickets.