Tesla Tests 'Parent Mode' To Enhance Safety For Young Drivers
Many parents are increasingly concerned about the impact of technology on their children, from excessive gaming to cyberbullying. In response, numerous companies now offer parental controls like time limits and content-blocking apps.
Electric car manufacturer Tesla is joining this trend by introducing safety features aimed at protecting young drivers. The company, co-founded by Elon Musk, is testing software that restricts acceleration and maximum speed, along with a 'night curfew'.
Tesla's new parental controls will include the ability to lock the car's maximum speed limit and prevent younger drivers from disabling speed limit warnings, automatic emergency braking, and collision alerts. If these alerts are ignored, the vehicle will automatically brake.
All these features will be secured behind a PIN, allowing parents to adjust restrictions as needed. Additionally, the 'night curfew' feature will set specific times during which the car cannot be driven. If it is driven during these times, the owner will receive an alert through the app.
Teslas already come with several safety features. For instance, they can accelerate faster than many other cars but have a 'chill mode' that limits power. Under the new parental controls, teenagers won't be able to turn off this mode.
Many of these new features resemble Tesla's existing 'valet mode', which locks the glove box and hides the owner's home address. However, the enhanced parental controls are expected to be particularly welcomed by parents.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of young drivers aged 17 to 24 pass their driving tests. Unfortunately, this age group is involved in a significant number of accidents. In 2022, over one in five fatal or serious crashes involved drivers under 25. Young male drivers are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road compared to those aged 25 or older.
Tesla's new safety features aim to address these concerns by providing parents with tools to monitor and control their children's driving habits more effectively. The introduction of these features highlights Tesla's commitment to enhancing road safety for young drivers while giving parents peace of mind.
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