Parents with teens will love these 10 Chevrolet models
Chevrolet, which gave parents a new tool on the 2016 Malibu to monitor their teenagers' driving behavior, will expand the option from one model to 10 for the 2017 model year.
The non-subscription-based service was introduced as an option on the redesigned 2016 Malibu midsize sedan. Now it will be available on 2017 models of Chevrolet Bolt EV, Camaro, Colorado, Cruze, Malibu, Silverado, Silverado HD, Suburban, Tahoe and Volt.
First, parents can register their teen's key fob in the vehicle's system settings. The feature automatically mutes the audio from the radio or any paired device until the driver fastens the seat belt.
It also gives audible and visual warnings when the vehicle is traveling faster than preset speeds, and allows parents to limit the maximum volume of the radio.
"Teen Driver" then enables all active safety features including lane-departure warning, rear-cross traffic alert, forward collision alert, traction control and automatic emergency braking.
Finally, the option provides parents with a report card, accessible on the front instrument panel's touchscreen, that shows how the teen drove, specifically the number of traction-control activations, wide-open throttle events and tailgating alerts.
Each of the 10 vehicles also features available Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility, to encourage teens to refrain from using their handheld phones while driving.
According to a Harris Poll survey commissioned by Chevrolet, parents with teens worry about their child driving (55%) more than any other area of parental stress, including drugs and alcohol (52%), sexual activity (49%) and academic performance (53%).
“I, like many of our employees, am a parent of teenagers, so we personally understand the anxiety of having a teen driver in the house,” said Steve Majoros, Chevrolet director of marketing for cars and crossovers. “And while we can’t control a teen’s behavior when they are in a car without a parent, this technology can remind them to buckle up and avoid speeding."
Contact Greg Gardner: 313-222-8762 or ggardner@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregGardner12