Updated GM App Automatically Tells Friends You Made it Home Safely

General Motors is rolling out an app-based feature that allows drivers to locate their car at any time. The Vehicle Locate service can also automatically send a text message to a loved one when the vehicle enters or leaves a pre-set area. Launching this week on the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC mobile apps, the feature replaces Family Link, which was solely web-based.

Boundary alerts can be set as wide as a 20-mile radius, or as narrow as a specific address. Users can select up to 10 people to receive a particular boundary alert when the vehicle enters or exits a designated area, and each party must opt-in. GM has identified a number of groups that might find the service helpful, such as commuters who regularly notify family or friends when they’re coming home, parents wanting to keep tabs on their teens, or daters who want to let their friends know they’ve safely left the restaurant and made it back home.

“Vehicle Locate provides both drivers and their loved ones with peace of mind in a variety of different drive-related scenarios,” said Alejandra Gonzalez, product manager for Remote Services at Chevrolet, in a statement.

Vehicle Locate is available to owners of eligible Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC vehicles from the 2012 model years or newer in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Depending on when the vehicle was purchased, the service can be had for free or for $14.99 per month as part of the Remote Access Plan. This also allows drivers to remotely control the vehicle’s engine, locks, and lights from their smartphones.

Source: GM via Automotive News (Subscription required)

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