Valets, you’ve been warned
Attention valet drivers: Don’t get frisky with the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette — you are being watched.
The 2015 version of the car will offer a data recorder that captures video, audio and driving data when switched into “valet mode.”
The owner will know if the valet (or perhaps a teenage child) was testing the car’s 3.8-second zero-to-60-mph time. The system will also record the highest G-force the driver hits in a turn.
“Anyone who has felt apprehension about handing over their keys will appreciate the peace of mind,” said Harlan Charles, Corvette product manager.
A video of driving hanky panky will be captured by a high-definition camera, which records the driver’s point of view through the windshield. Audio is cap- tured by an in-cabin microphone.
It all can be viewed or heard instantly on the Corvette’s 8-inch color touch screen, or downloaded.
The data options come as part of a performance data recorder and navigation system package that is a $1,795 add-on to the $53,995 base price of the Corvette. General Motors Co. says the system is a first in the industry, but it could soon become commonplace, said Karl Brauer, an analyst for car pricing company Kelley Blue Book.
The system may make particular sense for Corvette buyers, who tend to interact with valets often.
“These owners are passionate about their vehicles,” Brauer said, “and probably cringe every time they hand the keys off to a stranger.”