BBC News:

An American couple, whose daughter was killed by a driver allegedly using FaceTime on his iPhone, have launched a lawsuit against Apple.

The lawsuit alleges that the firm should have introduced a feature that disabled use of the video-chat application while driving.

It points to a patent for such a feature for drivers filed by Apple in 2008.

And:

The driver involved in the crash – Garrett Wilhelm – drove his SUV into the back of the Modisette family’s vehicle while travelling at high speeds.

The lawsuit documents state that he told police he was using FaceTime at the time of the crash and that the application was still active when police found his phone at the scene.

Mr Wilhelm is facing a jury trial on manslaughter charges in February.

Is Apple responsible for a user using their cell phone while driving? If this lawsuit goes forward, will this be the precedent that triggers a wave of similar lawsuits?

Tricky legal ground. Does the existence of the patent distinguish this case from a more traditional driving when texting crash? Does a patent bring with it responsibility to implement?