At the recent CES show in Las Vegas - amid the 3D televisions and tablet PCs - was something a little scary: connected cars.

Tethered to the internet via a high-speed wireless link, the cars offer everything from up-to-the-minute traffic reports to email, web browsing and entertainment - all displayed on dash-mounted screens.

One of the most comprehensive offerings is being pushed by tech giant Alcatel-Lucent. Dubbed the ng Connect program, it aims to create a platform on which various companies can build in-car services.

When you look at the promotional materials, you see an automotive utopia where everyone has access to every online service they could possibly want, all from the convenience of their automobile.

While it might sound fantastic, it's also a little unsettling. Every extra service we introduce into our car is another potential distraction for the driver.

Sure, there will be 'safety' features built in that will limit certain features while the car is in motion, but even voice-activated services can be distracting.

There is growing evidence that even conducting a hands-free phone conversation reduces a driver's ability to concentrate on the task at hand - driving the car. So what happens when you've got a couple of bright colour screens vying for your attention?

Before we embrace this new connected frontier, can we pause for just a second and consider the implications? Having the internet in your car might sounds great, but are our driving skills ready for it?

Do you really want that driver in front of you on the freeway to be even more distracted? Probably not.