The reality that young drivers apparently account for over 30 per cent of accidents today, the fatal crash rate per mile for 16-19 year olds is 3 times the rate than that of drivers over 20 made the Teen Driving feature of the 2016 Chevy Malibu an innovative application of technology and now Chevrolet is looking to expand the technology to more vehicles.
Chevrolet confirmed it is expanding its Teen Driver technology this fall to nine nameplates, covering 64 percent of the brand’s sales. It will be included on the 2017 Bolt, Camaro, Colorado, Cruze, Malibu, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe and Volt. The service is free for the life of the vehicle.
I tested thef feature a few months ago on the Malibu Sedan and found it to be somewhat effective in keeping focused, driving safely and efficiently as well as generating a report of my driving at the end of the drive.
Teen Driving, which debuted on the 2016 Malibu sedan, mutes the audio system until front-seat occupants buckle their safety belts, warns the driver when exceeding a preset speed and allows parents to set a maximum audio volume. It also prevents disabling active-safety features such as lane-departure warning and gives parents a report card showing how the vehicle was driven.
“Chevrolet developed this system as a tool that can give teens some additional coaching as they’re gaining experience,” MaryAnn Beebe, a Chevy safety engineer, said in a statement. “Driving on your own is a big milestone for teens, and Teen Driver helps to remind them to practice safe driving. And for parents, it’s easier to give guidance to your teen when you have some information on what they’re doing behind the wheel.”
Chevy said each of the nameplates with Teen Driver also offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility to discourage use of handheld phones while driving.
Source: Automotive News Canada