Safety Auto Tech for Back to School

Releasing a young driver onto the road can be a nerve-wracking time for parents. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America. When moms and dads come into your dealership during the back-to-school season, set their minds at ease with safety tech accessories for their kid's car. 

 Safety Tech You Can Put in Used/Hand-me-down Vehicles

A customer coming in to buy a new car for their teenager isn't your only target market for back-to-school safety tech. Any parent of a teenager will be interested in safety upgrades for their vehicles for those times their kid borrows the car. Safety technology is simply an easy sell to families, regardless of budget. Several accessories can also be installed in older models, including the vehicle they're keeping at home. Accessorize the car they buy from you at the point of sale and upsell their other vehicles in the service drive. 

Owlcam

The latest version of the Owlcam works on all vehicles and is an excellent investment for safety. The Owlcam responds to the driver's voice, records video inside and outside the car, and saves clips to a connected smartphone rather than the device itself. Owlcam will let parents see the inside of the vehicle remotely, giving them peace of mind. The video clips feature will protect all involved in the event of an accident, being pulled over, or incidents in and around the car. 

Viper SmartStart Pro

This accessory will require the vehicle to have (or get) a remote starter. You may sell the customer both once they understand the benefits of a Viper SmartStart Pro. With this accessory, parents can have control over their vehicle while their teen is driving it. Parents can see where the car is, how fast it's going, and whether it's unlocked or moved without their permission. The accessory not only gives them parental autonomy it also keeps the occupants safe. 

Hum

Verizon created this hardware that plugs into a cigarette lighter and also connects to an app. So when something is wrong with the car, the driver will get a notification via a speaker, while mom and dad get a message through the app. Drivers can also use the app to find their car in a parking lot or in the event of it being stolen. In addition, the app will send notifications if the car's been in a crash or airbags have been deployed. This peace of mind is affordable and can be used in any car made after 1996. 

Lanmodo Vast

Driving to and from school will eventually present a myriad of driving conditions. Dark mornings, fog, and rain can increase the risk of an accident because of the inability to see clearly. The Landmodo Vast camera brings what's ahead into sharper focus. In addition, because it's a dash camera, it can be fitted into most vehicles. 

Head-Up Display

First, sell the cell phone mount. Then, sell the head-up display. This very affordable accessory will keep teen drivers from looking down at their phones to see directions, change the music, or see who is calling. Since it works off a smartphone, it will minimize distracted driving in literally any car. 

Blind Spot Warning

By installing sensors on the front and back of a teen driver's car, warnings in the form of flashing lights will alert the driver if something is in their blind spot. Explain to parents and new drivers that this can prevent their teen from changing lanes on top of someone or hitting an object out of clear view. In addition, these sensors can translate into automatic braking in new vehicles, and any sensory warning is better than no warning at all with older models. 

Electronic Stability Control

ESC is standard on all vehicles made in the last nine years. So, can (and should) it be added to models older than that? According to the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety, "ESC reduces fatal single-vehicle crash risk by half." In addition, Parents.com says, "ESC is essential for drivers who are still developing their skills because it can automatically prevent a loss of control by applying braking at a wheel that's slipping." 

Safety Tech Upgrades for New(er) Vehicles

The world of technology cracks wide open when you get into new vehicles. Many vehicles manufactured after 2014 will be compatible with recent technology, though it will depend on the accessory and the vehicle in question. The below are available for newer cars (if it's not already standard), plus more recent technologies. 

Automatic Braking System

Studies have shown that automatic emergency brakes are very effective at preventing crashes. In fact, "The Highway Loss Data Institute reports that automatic braking has the biggest impact on reducing insurance claims for accidents of all advanced driver assistance systems," according to Parents.com. The system will first warn the driver with a beep, then automatically brake if there is no response from the driver. 

Apple Car Play/Android Auto

1.6 million car crashes a year are caused by a driver who is texting. So upgrading a used car's infotainment center may help keep student drivers off their cell phones. By integrating with a smartphone, drivers can transfer navigation, playlist, calls, texts, and more from the phone to the infotainment center—often with voice activation for a truly hands-free experience. 

Pioneer Navigation Receiver

This is a dual-purpose accessory that works great for vehicles that do not have an infotainment center you can upgrade. Not only is it cool technology that will appeal to teens (and adults) alike, this wireless smartphone display will keep drivers off their cell phones. Think of Apple CarPlay without the lightning cable and upgraded multimedia capacity (CD and DVD, HD radio tuner, lossless FLAC audio files all in one place). Like Apple Car Play, you'll also get hands-free navigation, lane assistance, and the possibility to integrate with a backup camera—all of which will enhance the driver's safety. 

Lane Centering Assist

Lane centering assist is the most cutting-edge technology in lane departure systems. The system is proactive rather than reactive, actively working to keep the vehicle centered in your lane as long as the driver touches the wheel lightly. Pair a lane-centering system with adaptive cruise control, and you've got the makings of a self-driving car (which some parents may find pretty attractive). 

Give Customers What They Want

With more teens on the road than ever before, parents will be looking to keep their children from becoming a statistic. These safety tech upgrades are great lead-ins to other accessories when your customer buys for their teen. Consider putting out a blog post about safety tech for vehicles this back-to-school season to draw customers into the store. Selling accessories at the point of sale is the ideal way to boost your front-end gross. The service department is the next step in keeping those customers and provides an opportunity to maintain customers while selling additional accessories.

Is your dealership not selling at least $10k a month in accessory sales? Schedule a demo with us today to find out what you're missing.