How Cloud Technology Is Helping Teens Drive Safer

Article Written by Avery Phillips

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "in 2016, 2,433 teens in the U.S.from ages 16-19 were killed in motor vehicle crashes." That means for teens, who are still getting the hang of driving, crashes remain to be the number one cause of death. 

Fortunately, cloud-based technology is helping teen drivers stay safe on the road and protecting them against accidents. Although the word "technology" might set off alarm bells among parents who associated it with distracted driving, it’s important for parents to recognize that technology can, in fact, be beneficial to their teen drivers. 

It’s a big bad world out there, especially on the highway, and while the number of deadly accidents has decreased since the 1970s, teenagers are still three times more likely to be involved in a deadly crash. Even though you’re aware of the dangers around you on the road, your fearless teen might not be. So how can you enforce safe driving habits when you aren’t there to guide them? Let cloud technology do it for you. Remember, as long as you teach young drivers safe technology habits, they can reap the countless rewards it offers. 

An Upgrade in Car Manufacturing Companies: Today’s technology has now changed the automotive industry. Although safety features like airbags can help minimize the severity of crashes, new technology like backup cameras and blind spot monitoring can help young drivers avoid car crashes entirely. Other tech innovations like driverless vehicles can also improve traffic flow and make the streets teens drive on a little safer. That’s because, as humans, we naturally create stop-and-go traffic for a number of reasons. If someone lane changes last minute, for example, we immediately slow down and hit the brakes. 

However, driverless cars are expected to greatly impact how we operate motor vehicles in the future. For one, they can control traffic flow by reducing stop-and-go traffic. How? By using different technological features to determine the appropriate speed, destination points, and the easiest way to travel. In doing so, these vehicles are able to make lane changes ahead of time (reducing the chance of a car accident) and follow the speed limit as well. This ensures  that the driver travels from one destination to the next safely. While driverless vehicles aren’t common at the moment, we do know that teens will grow up with this technology as part of their driving experience. This, of course, would give them a great advantage their parents did not have. 

Prevents Distracted Driving Among Young Teens: Have you ever heard the saying, "with great power, comes great responsibility"? Well, the same can be said about the phones used by teens today, which is why it’s important to teach them good driving habits. So, if you’re worried about your teen using their cell phone while driving, search for apps designed to prevent that from happening. 

T-Mobile, for instance, has a SyncUp DRIVE app that gives parents the opportunity to transform their vehicle into a hotspot. The app provides parents with the option to receive notifications if their teen is speeding, and it also has a GPS system so parents can call for roadside assistance if their teen needs it. Car manufacturing companies like Toyota have joined forces with companies like Microsoft to ensure such apps report in real time and make driving safer for everyone involved. 

AT&T also has a "Drive Mode" feature that starts up when the vehicle is moving over 15 miles per hour. Like the T-Mobile app, notifications are automatically sent to the driver’s family and stored in a cloud for the family to access later if needed. Parents and family members can even receive notifications once the "Drive Mode" is deactivated. The best part: Both apps are free and can be accessed on Google Play or the App store. 

Protect Young Drivers Against Bad Weather: There is a common belief that what goes on the internet, stays on the internet and gets stored in a cloud. For manufacturing companies, this is a gold mine, especially since information about the family vehicle can be stored in the cloud and retrieved at a later date. Things like driving history, possible engine malfunctions, and safety tips can make the road a lot safer for everyone. 

With that in mind, natural disasters like earthquakes, flash floods, hurricanes, and storms can strike without warning, which means it’s important that your data remains safe. The cloud, however, not only stores the family’s information in a safe location, but it can also prevent drivers from venturing into dangerous areas as well after a catastrophic event. 

Cloud technology has the ability to make data processing faster, safer, and a lot better – even when teens are on the road. It reduces the risk of information being lost and providers, drivers with cost efficiency tips by keeping them safe. Car manufacturing companies are working to improve the driving experience for everyone, especially new drivers. As technology continues to grow, so does internet usage and remote services, which means teens today can have a much better driver experience than their parents and grandparents did. 

Like most things, however, technology can get outdated pretty quickly. So, it’s important that parents get familiar with their own vehicle and share this knowledge with their teens before letting them get behind the wheel. In the end, knowing how these systems work and how to safely use them will make the road they drive a much safer place.

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About the Author

Avery Phillips is a unicorn of a human being who loves all things relating to people and their entrepreneurial spirits. Comment down below or tweet her @a_taylorian.