Impressive Car Technology That Helps Keep Teen Drivers Safe
Any parent will tell you that one of the scariest times of their life is when they first hand the car keys over to their teen, but some automakers are offering a way for parents to monitor and place limits on their teen’s driving behaviors.

- Program a top speed up to 80 mph, with chimes when the car goes to 45, 55, or 65 mph.
- Screen and block explicit radio stations available on satellite.
- Sets off a chime when a seat belt isn’t fastened and also prevents the radio from going on until the driver buckles up.
- Limit audio volume.
- Set the low-fuel warning at an earlier level, so instead of 50 miles to empty, you can change it to 75 miles.
- Driving aids such as blind spot, park aid, and traction control cannot be deactivated.
GM’s Family Link is part of OnStar and costs $3.99 a month on top of the OnStar subscription fees. It allows parents to find their teen’s car on a map on their website and receive a text or email as to their whereabouts. Parents can set a time to receive an alert, which is helpful to verify they arrived at their destination safely.
Hyundai BlueLink is similar to OnStar in that it keeps track of the vehicle and driver’s safety in an emergency. For $179 a year, you get roadside-assistance features in addition to teen safeguards, such as a speed alert, geo-fence, and curfew alert. This allows parents to set these boundaries on the car and to receive a message when they are overridden.