Though one may assume Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would have, um, more pressing matters on his hands these days, the man has somehow found time to address a complaint put forth by a-many travelin' Californians. Just this week Mr. Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill that was put forth earlier this year that will legalize windshield GPS mounting once more. Granted, stipulations are present, but at least you won't be forced to point your retinas down at the cup holders in order to see your navigation system after January 1, 2009. In the new year, drivers in the Golden State will be able to suction their GPS unit in the "lower 7-inch corner farthest away from the driver or in the lower 5-inch corner closest to the driver." If you go pressing your luck and throw it smack dab in the middle, be prepared for whatever fine you're due.

[Via Gadling, image courtesy of GPS Tracklog]

Apparently not everyone at General Motors is toiling away in an attempt to get the Volt ready for its 2010 debut, as another sector of the outfit's R&D division is busy creating a windshield that will, at its core, enable us to stop running stuff over. The futuristic glass would utilize lasers, sensors and cameras in order to help drivers see the road's edge better, recognize obstructions and enhance things ahead of us so we'll theoretically react faster. Truth be told, the device is being designed with older drivers in mind, though we don't see why younger motorists won't benefit all the same. Unfortunately, it sounds as if you'll have to keep those toothpicks in your eyelids for a few more years, but at least we're one step closer to full-on autopilot.

Though it's typically common practice to suction that new GPS unit to your windshield just as soon as you whip it from the box, folks in California have long been unable to enjoy such luxuries outside of their own driveways. Currently, it's illegal to have navigators stuck to one's front window, and police have been handing out "obstructed view" citations for those who disregard the law in the Golden State. Now, however, the California Senate will be voting on Senate Bill 1567, which would "add an exemption for the use of a seven-inch GPS screen mounted on in the lower corner of the passenger-side windshield or a five-inch screen on the driver's side." Of course, there's still oodles of red tape (and you know, a vote) to pass through before gridlocked drivers are able to toss that NAV up at eye-level, but you've got to start somewhere, right?

[Image courtesy of RVTravel, thanks Richard]