“There goes our brand-new driver”
“Yeah. Good thing we can track his every movement.”
In most areas of the country, the school year is starting back up, once again. While many high school students take the bus to school, others have reached an age where they can borrow the family vehicle for daily transportation.
This scenario can obviously lead to some tension between parents and their teen drivers, who statistically drive a bit riskier than your average motorist. As figurative battle lines are drawn between the two groups, Chevrolet has evidently chosen to side with the parents. Why else would the automaker offer three months of free OnStar Family Link throughout the month of August?
All throughout this month, Chevy vehicle owners can sign up for three free months of OnStar’s Family Link service. The service is usually offered for a monthly fee of $3.99.
OnStar Family Link allows parents to track the location of the Chevy vehicle that their teen driver is using. The parents will receive e-mail or text updates to let them know when their child has reached a certain location or when they have gone outside a certain set area.
“The day your children start driving is a dream come true for them, but it can be a nightmare for a concerned parent,” said Luciana Chamberlain, Family Link product marketing manager for Chevrolet. “OnStar Family Link can help minimize a parent’s anxiety by letting them know when their child has arrived at school, left a friend’s house or traveled outside of their comfort zone.”
You see a cabin. She probably sees a prison cell.
That’s not the only service that Chevrolet has designed for parents. The company also offers both Teen Driver and OnStar Smart Driver.
Teen Driver, available on 10 of Chevy’s 2017 models, allows parents to set limits on radio volume and vehicle speed. It also provides users with a in-vehicle report card, documenting any incidents when the vehicle exceeds speed limits or when safety features are activated.
OnStar Smart Driver provides a similar report card as Teen Driver. It also offers driving tips and tricks that both parents and their kids can use.
With OnStar Family Link, parents who don’t trust their teen driver concerned parents now have another tool to keep an eye on their children’s driving habits, much to the ire of teen drivers everywhere.
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.