Drivers won't be allowed to use Google's new Glass smart eyewear on the road - even though the product has yet to go on sale.

The Department for Transport has issued a ban on using the device while driving, saying that drivers should keep their attention focused on the road.

Speaking to Stuff magazine a spokesperson for the DfT said: "We are aware of the impending rollout of Google Glass and are in discussion with the police to ensure that individuals do not use this technology while driving. It is important that drivers give their full attention to the road when they are behind the wheel and do not behave in a way that stops them from observing what is happening on the road.

"A range of offences and penalties already exist to tackle those drivers who do not pay proper attention to the road, including careless driving — which will become a fixed penalty offence later this year."

The likely penalty for using Google Glass while driving would be £60, plus three points on their driving licence. Such a penalty would be in line with the current fines for using a mobile phone while driving. The ban has echoes of the 2003 ban on using a mobile phone while driving. More than a million drivers have been fined since then.

Banning the use of Google Glass while driving has ramifications not only for potential customers, but also for app developers. Glass is set to go on sale next year.

A Google spokesman said: “We are thinking very carefully about how we design Glass because new technology always raises new issues. Our Glass Explorer programme, currently only launched in the US, reaches people from all walks of life and will ensure that our users become active participants in shaping the future of this technology.”