GM's Latest OnStar Feature: Parents Can Track Their Teens, In Real Time
Teens are going to have to work harder to hide their whereabouts, once GM wraps up a pilot program that lets concerned parents track the location of their precious ones, in real time.
The program is part of the OnStar system, and over 10,000 of its current subscribers have been chosen to take part. Parents can log onto a GM website and view the location of their car on a map, thereby preventing a web of lies and deceit. Alerts can pop up in the form of a text message or an email.
“Our subscribers have asked us for a solution to help them stay connected to their family when they’re on the road,” said Linda Marshall, president of OnStar. “What parent hasn’t asked their teenaged driver to call or send a text when they arrive somewhere, only to not hear from them?”
The program isn’t just limited to helicopter doting parents, too: OnStar suggests that it could be used to track the elderly, cheating husbands, or in less dramatic fashion, those driving long distances or through bad weather.
OnStar is also considering programs that can alert subscribers when a car exceeds the speed limit, or drives further than a set location, or—presumably—when somebody turns on the radio to Howard Stern.
More by Blake Z. Rong
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This past sommer my teenage step-Daughter used her moms car to drive to a sleep over 10 miles from our home. What actualy happened was she used the car to pick up friends and drive all night and go to a party 60 miles away, on the return trip home the next morning my daughter let her friend drive home, she fell asleep going 65mph+ and totaled the car, took over 30 minutes for police to find them, no major injuries, but how nice if we had been alerted prior to her leaving the area, this all could be prevented.Yesterday she hit a dear in her moms brand new Honda, I have purchased OnstarFMV and waiting for install date,how can I inquier about this app. and what about a shut off option on engine should you suspect teen is not in condition to drive. LAst question, I had Onstar on my Buick lease, lost job and Car, can I get a loyalty discount, if I install In new Honda $ 28.00/mo ( though worth piece of mind is still tough in this economy. Thanks for such a great product , keep up the improvements.Now if you can figure a way to stop texting while they drive that would be Awsome!!The 3 rules of teens to live by:#1If thier lips are moving they are lying! #2 They are never with or where they say they are! #3 They know every thing untill you ask them a Question! Keep up the good work!