So they want millions of Americans to drive around aimlessly, or better yet they want us all to get lost!

The DOT is looking for Congress to jump in on their behalf and regulate what navigation aids can be used while driving your personal vehicle - this would not be limited to just GPS units, but also smartphone apps such as Waze.

According to NYTimes, the measure, included in the Obama administration’s proposed transportation bill, would specify that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has the authority to set restrictions on the apps and later order changes if they are deemed dangerous, much the way it currently regulates mechanical features of cars.

The measure has the support of automakers, which already mostly comply with voluntary guidelines for built-in navigation systems, but it has run into stiff opposition from technology companies, which say that any such law would be impractical and impossible to enforce. It’s another example, they say, of federal regulators trying vainly to keep up with a rapidly changing industry.

According to ITWorld, giving the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) explicit power to regulate navigation apps is part of the U.S. DoT's current fight against distracted driving. In April 2013, the NHTSA created voluntary guidelines for minimizing in-vehicle distractions that targeted dashboard systems. Moving on to driving-related smartphone apps is a logical next step.

But some parts of the technology industry apparently aren't too thrilled with the notion of governmental oversight. The Intelligent Car Coalition, a year-old industry group, told the Times that the NHTSA doesn't have the "budget or the structure to oversee both Silicon Valley and the auto industry."

Recalculating........