There is an increase in multigenerational households, and more families of the “sandwich generation” are finding themselves caring for teenagers along with aging parents.
Automotive dealers are in a unique position to make at least one part of that complicated puzzle — safe transportation — an easier problem to solve. Understanding the individual needs of your customers’ families means safety and security for them, and financial benefits for you.
One item to recommend with every vehicle purchase is GPS location tracking. While it can be beneficial for anyone, there are specific selling points dependent on who is primarily driving the car.
According to the National Safety Council, speed was a factor in 79% of single-vehicle accidents for drivers between the ages of 16 and 19. Many parents track their teens using tracking apps on their phones. That’s fine if what they actually want to track is the phone (assuming their kid hasn’t disabled the app), not the vehicle. A hardwired GPS tracking system can accurately track vehicle location and driving behavior (including high speed alerts) without the risk of tampering.
Reports of motor vehicle theft on college campuses hit an all-time high in 2022 (the latest available data reported by USA TODAY), with 1.33 reports per 10,000 students, up from 0.58 in 2019. When grown children no longer need constant monitoring, you can still provide them with a measure of vehicle safety. A GPS system is uniquely useful for cars not driven often, or not often outside a limited space, like those on a college campus. A GPS system can send notifications when a car leaves a designated area, like a parking garage or campus boundary, to alert the driver of unauthorized use. They can also get alerts for low battery status, so there are no surprises before a long-awaited trip home.
Driving privileges can be a sensitive topic with aging relatives. According to the CDC, the number of licensed drivers over age 65 increased by 68% to nearly 48 million drivers between 2000 and 2020. One way for them to maintain some independence while still looking out for safety on the road is to install GPS tracking on their vehicles. The right system can immediately send notifications for incidences like hard braking and impact alerts, and can also help with regular maintenance reminders and general location services.
It’s important for dealers to understand as much as they can about the buyer, not only to help them select the right vehicle, but also the right aftersales items. Knowing who might be driving the car will help you recommend appropriate safety and security features, increasing the buyer’s confidence in the purchase while increasing your profit.