The Detroit News and The Atlantic recently reported that Esurance’s (an insurance company) Drive Safe™ technology is now available free-of-charge to parents in 38 states, including Connecticut, to help parents remotely monitor their teens’ driving behavior and keep them safe behind the wheel. The technology consists of a device that plugs into a car’s onboard diagnostics port and an app installed in a teen’s smart phone. Together these components allow parents to (1) block access to certain websites and cell phone apps, including texting, while driving and (2) receive reports about their teens’ driving behavior, including speeding, hard braking, and driving after curfews. The only thing parents cannot block or restrict is access to 911. The technology also alerts parents about attempts to tamper with the device or delete the app from the phone.
The Atlantic article notes that a device from Cellcontrol.com performs many of the same functions and is available to people who are not Esurance customers.
