BAY CITY, Mich. -- Chevrolet adds to personal touch to the initiative to curb distracted driving with their new app called "Call Me Out". The app uses the voices of a driver's loved ones to remind them of the potentially fatal consequences of taking their eyes off the road, and what they stand to lose by doing so.
A recent by Research Now reports that 84% of people agree that driving while handling a phone is dangerous, and yet 90% of drivers admit to doing it. Inspired to take a new approach to curb the issue, Chevy hosted a hackathon during which they challenged teams of young people to propose ways to combat distracted driving, and from that, the framework of Call Me Out was conceived.
The new app combines two very powerful forces: technology and those we love. Users can have their friends and family record a message through the app that will activate when the user tries to use their phone while driving; "calling them out" and making them think twice about the huge risk they're taking to answer a text or post on social media when on the road.
“As the father of two daughters, I am keenly aware of all the perils that my children face out in the world on a daily basis, and that is why it is so important for GM and Chevrolet to offer technologies that help all of us become safer drivers,” says Alan Batey, president of GM North America and head of Global Chevrolet. “With Call Me Out we are extending our commitment beyond the technologies integrated into GM and Chevy vehicles and are making the app available for Android phone users who drive other vehicle makes and models in an effort to help people change their driving behavior and make our roads safer.”
HOW IT WORKS
- Call Me Out uses the voices of the driver's loved ones to encourage them to put their phone down and concentrate on the road.
- Currently, the app is only available to Android phone users who can download it for free in the Google Play store.
- The app utilizes the vehicle's accelerometer and GPS to detect when the driver physically picks up their phone while traveling at speeds of more than 5 MPH, at which point it plays recorded, personalized messages from friends and family that remind them that notifications are not as important as the people who love them.
- The app also adds a little competition to help encourage drivers to stay safe on the road, featuring a scoreboard and rankings, and keeping score of how much the user handles their phone. The less they do, the higher their score and rank on the leaderboard.
“Today’s vehicles offer a range of active safety features like Lane Keep Assist and Forward Automatic Braking that help drivers stay more aware of their surroundings,” says Tricia Morrow, Chevy safety engineer.
“But we also know the vehicle is only one element. Chevy’s Call Me Out app gives drivers another great tool to reinforce good driving behaviors — and as a mom of a teenage daughter, I personally know how important it is to model good driving behaviors and encourage others to do the same.”
Drivers must be 18 years or older and have a compatible device and data plan to use Call Me Out.
Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help our community grow to become an even better place to call home! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.
