Smart From the Start: Automatic Launches License+ to Unite Parents and Teens in Pursuit of Safer Driving

SAN FRANCISCO -- October 27, 2014: Automatic Labs, the company that helps people drive safer and smarter, today announced License+, a service to help teens master driving skills with the support of a coach. Built on Automatic’s connected car platform, License+ is a novel approach to a longstanding concern: how to provide teens with encouragement and room to learn while providing parents with tools for communication and ensuring their loved ones are safe.

“License+ brings parents and teens together to improve the teen’s skills -- especially during the most dangerous first six months of independent driving – while fostering mutual communication and trust.”

Automatic’s award-winning connected car adapter and mobile apps for iPhone, Android, and web help keep teens safe throughout their early driving years, with features that detect accidents and send emergency response, provide driving feedback, and help diagnose engine problems. All of these features come with no recurring fees.

Released today as a free update to the Automatic app for iPhone and Android, License+ is an additional way to keep teens safe by helping them master good driving skills. Teens use the app to track their own performance through a 100-driving-hour program. A coach, typically a parent, can review and discuss overall progress with the new driver during the program.

“We believe parents want to prepare their teens for the road ahead while respecting their freedom and privacy,” said Automatic CEO Thejo Kote. “License+ brings parents and teens together to improve the teen’s skills -- especially during the most dangerous first six months of independent driving – while fostering mutual communication and trust.”

License+ allows parents to see high-level information on the Automatic web dashboard:

The teen’s drive score

The teen’s progress through the 100-hour program

Driving events like hard brakes, hard accelerations, and speeding over 70 mph

Cities visited

“Unlike typical tracking and monitoring products, which can erode the hard-earned trust between parents and teens, License+ works through coaching, communication, and a bit of fun,” said License+ lead Steve Bishop. “We wanted new drivers to be able to demonstrate their progress, so we created features like badges that reward them when they master important skills like night time or highway driving.”

At the end of the 100 hours, the driver earns a bronze, silver, or gold medal of completion based on their drive score throughout the program.

With License+, emergency crash response, audio driving feedback, and check engine light diagnosis, Automatic offers a broad array of tools to help teens keep safe on the road.

License+, like all Automatic features, requires the Automatic car adapter be plugged into the standard diagnostic port of a supported vehicle to connect car and smartphone through Automatic’s mobile app.