If you’re a parent of a teen driver, chances are the moment your kid gets behind the wheel, your stress level skyrockets. Between curfews, carpools, college visits, and especially back-to-school driving season, you can’t always be in the passenger seat. And while teaching safe driving habits matters, you also need some reassurance that your teen (and the car itself) is safe.
That’s where DIMO comes in. Co-founded by mobility leader Rob Solomon, it’s a connected car platform and device that aims to “modernize” cars, making them as connected and intelligent as smartphones. By tracking maintenance needs, monitoring risky driving behavior, and delivering real-time alerts from anywhere, DIMO transforms your family car into a smart partner that helps you guide your teen on the road while protecting your peace of mind.
Why Cars Are Struggling to Keep Up
DIMO co-founder Rob Solomon, who previously worked at Vroom.com and blockchain giant Consensys, argues that cars today are stuck in what he calls the “flip phone era.” While smartphones have evolved into open ecosystems where third-party apps create enormous value, cars remain largely closed systems controlled by automakers.
“When you buy a new car, you might get, at most, an app that locks and unlocks your doors. That’s like getting a flip phone with a few built-in features,” Solomon explains. “But what you really want is a platform — the kind that enabled Uber, Netflix, or any other app to flourish on your phone. Cars don’t have that yet.”
This closed approach doesn’t just limit convenience, it creates safety gaps. Without access to real-time vehicle data, parents can’t easily track whether their car is in good condition before a school run or whether their teen is making risky choices behind the wheel. Problems that could be solved with simple software often go undetected until they become expensive or dangerous.
By acting as a neutral layer, DIMO allows automakers, developers, and drivers to participate in a shared ecosystem while keeping car data private.
How DIMO Helps Parents of Teen Drivers
With DIMO, parents gain access to their cars’ data in real-time, thanks to an LTE-enabled device and app. DIMO uses blockchain technology, which gives drivers ownership of their data and the ability to share it securely. This means you get one reliable source of car data that you can share across all your auto providers, such as helping your insurer get you better rates, enabling AAA to deliver personalized roadside assistance, and even streamlining repairs by scheduling service with a local shop.
That means you can check in on your car’s health, location, and driving behavior from anywhere — at work, at home, or even across the country.
- Track Risky Driving Behavior: Real-time alerts for speeding, hard braking, sharp turns, and rapid acceleration keep you aware of your teen’s habits, even when you’re not in the car.
- Stay Ahead of Vehicle Issues: Tire pressure drops, battery voltage dips, or a critical check engine light? DIMO catches them instantly and delivers tips before they turn into roadside emergencies.
- Accident Detection: No matter when or where, you can count on getting the help you need at the time you need it most.
- Remote Peace of Mind via LTE: Because DIMO uses LTE, you’re not limited by proximity. Whether your teen is driving across town or across the state, you still get live data and alerts.
- One Control Center for the Family Fleet: Monitor multiple cars in one app, from your teen’s first ride to the shared family SUV.
For parents managing hectic back-to-school driving routines, all this translates to fewer surprises and greater confidence that the family car is roadworthy. “I’m a parent too, and I know the worry never goes away when your teen starts driving,” Solomon notes. “Cars should be as smart and connected as the phones in our pockets — and with DIMO, we’re modernizing driving so parents, and all drivers, can feel safer and actually enjoy the road.”
The Future: An AI Car Expert by Your Side
DIMO’s long-term vision goes beyond basic connectivity. Solomon and his team, which includes veterans from Ford, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, and SiriusXM, see AI as a powerful tool for advancing the car experience. That’s why the company is currently building AI capabilities that allow DIMO to act like a 24/7 personal car assistant.
“Imagine if you had a car expert who never slept,” Solomon explains. “Someone who could look at every data point from your car, flag a problem before it happens, book the repair at the right shop, and remind you when your registration is due. That’s what AI can do when it has access to your vehicle data.”
This AI would be able to:
- Offer proactive, personalized tips, from maintenance reminders to seasonal tire recommendations.
- Book repairs, recommend trusted shops, and handle routine tasks automatically.
- File away documents like insurance, registration, and receipts without manual input.
- Identify subtle signs of mechanical issues, helping car owners detect problems long before a breakdown occurs.
Through this work, Solomon believes cars could eventually skip incremental, patchy updates and jump directly into an era of agentic, AI-powered vehicles that genuinely improve safety and ownership.
The Bottom Line for Parents
For parents, DIMO acts as an active, enhanced partner on the road. With real-time LTE connectivity, access to vehicle data, and AI insights, families can stay connected from anywhere, prevent problems before they happen, and keep their teens safer where it matters most.
