iOS 11: Apple iPhones will stop people receiving texts while they are driving

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks on stage during Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Jose, California (REUTERS/Stephen Lam)

Your iPhone is going to start hiding messages, for your own good.

Apple has announced that iOS 11 will introduce a special mode – "Do Not Disturb for Driving" – that will look to stop people getting distracted by messages from their phone.

The update will come in the new software, released this autumn, and is intended to avoid people endangering themselves and other road users by looking at their mobile.

Now, the phone won't show any messages at all until you arrive at your destination. Instead, it will show what Apple joked was a much more calming user interface: nothing at all.

If a phone is connected to the car via Bluetooth or using a cable – or if the phone senses that it's moving – then it will trigger the mode. There'll be the option to turn it off if you're a passenger, so that the mode is only turned on for the driver.

If someone does try and send you a text while you're driving and have the mode on, your phone will automatically send one back saying that you're not able to reply at the moment. Select people will be able to break through the do not disturb mode, if they reply to that text with the word "urgent".

Some apps will have other special modes to allow them to keep people safe. Drivers will still be able to look at Apple Maps for directions, for instance – but they won't be able to input new destinations by using the screen.

iPhones will watch out for the first time someone goes driving with their iPhone, Apple said. When they get back home, it will trigger the option to turn on the special do not disturb mode – once that's done, it will turn on automatically in future.

The new feature was revealed at WWDC, Apple's annual event for developers. There it showed off the new version of iOS as well as a new home speaker and other hardware.