DriveCam Lets Parents Keep an Eye on Teen Drivers
George Orwell would be impressed.
The company DriveCam has devised a camera system that monitors teen drivers every moment they’re in a vehicle. Parents can keep tabs by way of a camera that records what is going on both inside the car and on the other side of the windshield. Every time the car makes a sudden or unexpected movement, the camera transmits a digital recording to a central database. This transmission is analyzed and a text message is sent to parents. DriveCam also delivers a weekly safety report to parents that rates the driver's skills and decisions.
DriveCam says it hopes the system will lead to better driving practices by teenagers and an eventual decrease in teen driving deaths (nearly 3,500 young drivers were killed in 2006), but the system seems unreasonably invasive. Parents who want full updates on every missed turn signal and rolling stop will be disappointed to learn that kids are free to make mistakes outside their cars as well. With a price tag of $900 plus a subscription fee for the service, it seems cheaper to just instill good driving habits and responsibility in your kids.
Mom Called and Said, "Slow Down!" (The Wall Street Journal via Automotive Blogs)
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This looks similar to what I have seen in cabs when I was recently in Las Vegas for a Auto Glass Convention with FixMyWindshield.com I do wonder however will this be legal in some states. I know I have been following a story about GPS units in cars in California.. So this is almost the size of a GPS unit based on the picture it takes up a good part of the auto glass or front windshield, could this be considered in california also as an obstruction of the view of the driver? Will other states pass similar laws that could prevent this device from being used on the windshield or on other auto glass pieces? We shall see in time what the law decides. I think that it is a good idea, however it seems like a huge price tag. Their are other deivces out on the market that you simply plug into the vehicle and can download all kinds of usefull information. We can not be with our kids all the time but as long as we care is what matters. A better solution would be put gps tracking on their phones this will show speed and position and history and all kinds of other information without the obstruction on the windshield.
Larry Diesbach
FixMyWindshield.com Member