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Wireless Device Tracks Teens' Vehicles

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

September 6, 2005, 2:19 PM

Parents worried about where their kids are driving will appreciate the latest service now being offered by SkyTel, a division of MCI. The unit has launched the SkyTel Guard, a wireless device placed in the car that transmits location, speed and information on the vehicle to a secure Web site.

The Web site allows users to set up allowed and restricted areas of travel, as well as methods to alert parents of unusual activity. Doors can also be locked and unlocked remotely and users can disable a vehicle's starter to prevent the car from starting once it has been turned off.

The SkyTel Guard device, about the size of a bar of soap, is installed in the vehicle by connecting it to a power source. When the car is running, data is collected every two minutes and sent to the Web site every ten minutes.

"SkyGuard allows parents to know their children's whereabouts, giving them peace of mind," Bruce Deer, SkyTel president said.

Users would be able to receive alerts by e-mail or mobile phone when unusual activity occurs. For example, an alert would be sent when the car is traveling into an area that has been set as a restricted zone.

The SkyTel Guard service is available through the company's Web site. and covers many metropolitan areas across the United States.

A portable version of the unit is available for $299.99 USD, with a permanent solution priced at $349.99 USD. Service charges range in price from just under $60 for a year subscription to a light plan, to $387.49 USD for a "plus" annual subscription.

Add a Comment (16 Comments)

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By horsecharles

posted Sep 7, 2005 - 12:06 AM

Oh, car schmar! Just attach it to their crotch-- but do keep the remote zipper lock/unlock/disable features.

Score: 0

By pafinator11

posted Sep 6, 2005 - 4:39 PM

I can understand the tracking but not the starter and the door locking. Thats creepy. What if it gets hacked from the internet and all customers vehicles are locked and unstartable!

Score: 0

By Kramy

posted Sep 6, 2005 - 11:02 PM

Yes....I was pondering the same thing. And what if the car stalls or something in a bad neighbourhood, and you can't start it up again or get in/out? :/

Creepy stuff. I hope most parents are smart enough to realize paging your kid with "HEY YOU!!!" would be better. :P

Score: 0

By PhoenixPath

posted Sep 6, 2005 - 3:20 PM

Actually this sounds like it's be useful for tracking a vehicle for *any* reason. "Just for Kids" seems a tad shortsighted.

Score: 0

By The MAZZTer

edited Sep 6, 2005 - 3:19 PM

Wonder how many will figure out how to disable it, and how long it would take them. :)

I mean, it sounds like it's self contained. Even if it uses special connectors (ie for a pass-through from the battery to the spark plugs) someone will probably find a way to circumvent it or start selling adaptors...

Anyways it should be interesting to watch what teens do about this thing in their cars.

Score: 0

By jobryan26

posted Sep 6, 2005 - 8:30 PM

At work we had GPS on all of our vehicles and half of the time it was incorrect. The vehicle would be parked out front in the parking lot and show it was at their last job. When they did work they were great as we was able to bust one employee at the bar when he was suppose to by doing service work at a customers house...yes they have special connectors and they applied some kind of orange stuff on the connectors that was a liquid and dried hard so of the connector was removed the stuff would crack showing signs of someone tapering with it.

Score: 0

By forgie

posted Sep 6, 2005 - 2:58 PM

A nightmare for any teenager, but pretty cool features for a parent who is letting their kid drive their car and wants to keep tabs on them for whatever reason. My sympathy goes out to any kid whose parents take full advantage of this product.

Score: 0

By Bugeyes

posted Sep 6, 2005 - 2:41 PM

That's nice, treat your kid like a criminal.

Buggy

Score: 0

By aregon

edited Sep 6, 2005 - 9:15 PM

Actually, they are just treating kids like kids. Too many people think that a 16 year old is mature enough to make adult decisions, but they are not, no matter who they are. Sure, there are some mature kids out there, but they are still kids. This is a great idea, and I applaud SkyTel for risking an ACLU / PC firestorm for giving parents one more way to parent instead of making our God given task that much harder.

Jeff.

Score: 0

By jobryan26

posted Sep 6, 2005 - 8:33 PM

A tracking device is short of what I'd do to some kids I see now days. Most of them needs the snot beat out of them till they learn what respect means. When I was growing up no meant no or else. Kids now don't care, have no respect for anyone, and alot of parents don't give a rat's behind either way.

Score: 0

By Whitewolf1218

edited Sep 7, 2005 - 12:33 PM

In response to that. Not all kids are like that, I am 13, and I respect my elders. I was raised like that. I respect my mother, and I have a good fear of her. (I don't wanna upset her, or disobey her, because I don't wanna get my hind whooped and I don't wanna disapoint her.) I do care, I have respect for everyone. And my mom cares a great deal.

Score: 0

By CMSTech

posted Sep 7, 2005 - 1:39 PM

If all that is true, you are one of the few.

Score: 0

By Jacen

posted Sep 6, 2005 - 7:04 PM

Kids are criminals in a way. Some (not all) like to speed and show off with their cars and this causes acedients (sp?)

I would also like to point out that this can help track and protect a stolen car.

Score: 0

By CMSTech

edited Sep 6, 2005 - 5:31 PM

I agree with your statement on one hand, however this is no different then monitoring what kids watch on TV or view on the internet. It is all about allowing a minor to take part in parent approved activities.

If the kid is doing no wrong, they they have nothing to worry about.

If you lend your car for an approved activity, however the kid decides to run across town to a heavy drug traffic area and buys drugs. The cops can seize the car if they are caught.

The parent then has to worry about how are they going to get to work to support the family after their kid got their car seized. Not to mention when a household has more then 1 kid between 16 and 18. The other kid is punished for something the 1st one did, lack of a car.

I applaud SkeTel, in my opinion, parents rely on to much "self parenting" for people under 18.

Score: 0

By LiLWiP

posted Sep 7, 2005 - 9:35 AM

And by "self parenting" you mean? How about this... If you don't give your children trust they will never learn to be trustworthy. Spend a little TIME with you kids and teach them the difference between right and wrong. Stop asking other people to raise your children for you. PUNISH them when they do wrong and praise them for things they do right! As parents we have a responsibility to our children and future generations to instill in our children the morals that we want them to have.

This product is a little too 1984 for me. Next thing you know we will have mini cameras hidden in the steering wheel and a mic so we can make sure our kids aren't listening to cd's with music we don't like and that they aren't smoking or picking their noses when they are driving! C'MON PARENTS, RAISE YOUR KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Score: 0

By CMSTech

posted Sep 7, 2005 - 1:38 PM

I agree 100%, I see this just as another tool a parent can use. It is up the parent's judgement if it fits with the way they want to raise their kids.

and by "Self Parenting" I mean no parenting what so ever, like most of the kids I see these days. Although, if the kids with the terrible behavior WERE parented properly, I would hate to see their parents.

Score: 0

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