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)