It may not happen often, but it's tragic when it does – parents forget that their baby is riding in the back seat of their car, so they leave them in there when they park, and the infant subsequently succumbs to heat stroke. To help minimize the chances of this happening, General Motors is introducing its Rear Seat Reminder.
Unlike some aftermarket systems, Rear Seat Reminder doesn't actually sense whether or not anything is placed on the rear seat.
Instead, it notes if either of the rear doors are opened and closed within 10 minutes of the engine starting, or once it has started. The next time that the engine is turned off, five chimes will sound, plus an instrument panel message will appear that reads "Rear Seat Reminder / Look in Rear Seat."
Besides providing a reminder of li'l passengers, the technology could also keep drivers from forgetting things such as pets, briefcases, groceries, or items that may be tempting to thieves. And yes, it can be turned off if desired.
Rear Seat Reminder will debut as standard equipment on the 2017 GMC Acadia crossover, with other models set to follow in the future.
Source: GMC via Consumerist
