Vehicle safety has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years with the addition of safety systems such as collision detection and lane departure warnings. However, these can only do so much when it comes to inexperienced teen drivers.
It can be a bit nerve-wracking for parents to let their teens out onto the roads by themselves, but some new safety features are easing that fear somewhat. Automakers have recognized that many customers buy cars for their teens and have included new standard features that help monitor driving activity, reports AOL Autos.
The Ford MyKey system, standard on all new models, provides parent and teen with separate sets of keys. When the teen's key is used, the radio will not turn on unless both front passengers are buckled in. Parents can also set alerts for when the car reaches 45, 55 and 65 miles per hour, as well as set an upper limit of 80. The parent's key will turn off these systems when used.
Hyundai is also debuting a new system on their 2012 Sonata, known as BlueLink. This system has a "GeoFencing" feature that allows parents to receive notification when the vehicle travels outside a designated area, allowing them to keep tabs on their driver. It will also allow curfews and speed limits to be programmed.
Parents who are about to let their teen driver get out on the road should take the car in to an auto maintenance expert. Getting new tires, brake service and an oil change can help ensure that the car works properly when a teen is using it.