Verizon’s “hum” in-car smart device was originally designed to help car owners keep track of vehicle diagnostics and provide roadside assistance if anything went wrong, but now the company is revamping its capabilities. Now, for $15 a month, you can set specific alerts to know what’s going on with your vehicle while you’re not there.
The device now lets you set boundary and speed alerts, as well as find the exact location of the vehicle or a precise driving history. If a car goes beyond a set speed or boundary, the device will send a text to let you know in real time.
Sorry, teenagers. You can no longer head to a local rave when you said you’re spending the night with friends. Any move beyond the established boundary will get texted immediately to the parents.
However, if a teenager (or perhaps a cheating spouse) figures out how to re-route the text alerts, you can still review the car’s driving history to get a log of driving efficiency, including duration, start and end times, idle times, and maximum and average speeds.
“Family members now have the opportunity to remain connected to their teenage drivers, elderly parents and others on the road, putting them in the passenger seat, even if they’re miles away,” said Michael Maddux, director of product development at Verizon Telematics.
Verizon’s (VZ) Hum is compatible with more than 150 million vehicles and also provides basic services like maintenance reminders, parking assistance, and incident alerts.