General Motors introduces industry-first 'Rear Seat Reminder' feature

[RavenAvi]

General Motors has debuted a first-of-a-kind Rear Seat Reminder feature for it's US customers, set to be introduced with the 2017 GMC Acadia SUV.

This feature, which is activated when either of the rear doors is opened and closed within 10 minutes of the vehicle's starting (or even when the vehicle is running), makes the car sound off five audible chimes and displays a message in the driver's speedometer MID the moment the vehicle is turned off.

Each year in the US, about half of the children under age 14 who die of in-vehicle heatstroke do so as a result of being forgotten. Additionally, items left in the back seat are a target for theft. Nearly 23 percent of larceny in 2014 was from a motor vehicle, according to the FBI.

“Our customers live busy lives with demanding schedules, and the Rear Seat Reminder helps protect the things we care about most,” said Tricia Morrow, GM global safety strategy engineer. “Whether it’s your lunch, laptop, pet or most importantly, your child, it’s easier than it seems to forget what’s in the back seat when moving between life’s events. With this new feature, we are leading the charge to address this ongoing problem.”

“General Motors has developed a new technology for the GMC Acadia, the Rear Seat Reminder, to give busy parents an important reminder to check the back seat before leaving the car,” said Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Technology alone cannot solve the issue of heatstroke when it comes to young children, but this new Acadia reminder can help. We must always remember that the safest way to protect a child from heatstroke is to never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.”

Autocar Professional

[smartcat]

It is things like this that give Jeremy Clarkson an excuse to make fun of the Americans.

“Our customers live busy lives with demanding schedules, and the Rear Seat Reminder helps protect the things we care about most,” said Tricia Morrow, GM global safety strategy engineer

Sheesh!

[Viju]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

It's a reminder to check the Rear Seat, not for the rear seat belts.

When I saw the thread title, I was sure you missed the word 'belt'. Never expected a 'rear seat reminder'.

I believe cars sold in America have the maximum possible reminders / alerts / chimes than anywhere else in the world. Although I am all for features which could save another innocent life, I have to say this is just dumbing down to a whole new level.

What next? 'Cheese burger' reminder every 2 hours?

[hybridpetrol]

This is a good feature because there have been instances, where parents simply locked and left the car with small kid in the back seat, and found the kid to be dead due to heatstroke when they returned several hours later.

Such forgetful parents will probably need this kind of reminder more than anybody else. I still cannot understand how one could forget their kids and leave the car. Crazy!

[GTO]

Are we really so busy in our lives that we can forget about a child on the backseat? Sad. USA Today once recommended keeping your left shoe at the back so you don't forget about your kid there (link).

This feature isn't new though. Has been offered by other companies before.

Originally Posted by Viju

I believe cars sold in America have the maximum possible reminders / alerts / chimes than anywhere else in the world.

Truly! Also the country where the 'coffee is hot' warning emerged from (on coffee cups).

'Cheese burger' reminder every 2 hours?

[trek]

I found this thread funny too when I read it earlier. But today when I came across this article, I think it's better to have this reminder rather than not!

GM is right, they know how incredibly stupid their customers (some of them at least) are:

A Texas man charged with causing the death of his six-month-old daughter by leaving her in a hot car put the baby in a refrigerator after finding her in desperate condition in the back of his vehicle.

Michael Thedford, a 33-year-old, unemployed high school teacher, was arrested in Collin County, outside of Dallas, on Tuesday.
He was charged with manslaughter and released on bond. No lawyer was listed for him in online jail records.

According to a probable cause affidavit released on Wednesday, he dropped off his two other children, ages 3 and 5, at daycare but forgot about his baby daughter in the back of the car. He went into his home and fell asleep.
His wife was at work at the time of the incident, according to police.

Some four hours later he discovered his daughter strapped into her car safety seat. He took her out, placed her in a refrigerator "for an undetermined amount of time," and called 911, the affidavit said.

He later placed the infant on the kitchen floor and attempted CPR on the baby before emergency responders arrived, it said.

He said his daughter was stiff and "hot as a brick" when he found her in the vehicle, the affidavit said. The outdoor temperature at the time was about 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32°C).

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-te...-idUSKCN0Z82KZ