Drivetime wants to prove that the future of car safety is all fun and games

Drivetime raised $11m to make drivers safer by offering them hands-free, voice-activated games that help them stay focused.

Drivetime

Drivetime wants to prove that the future of car safety is all fun and games

Earlier this week, a startup called Drivetime raised $11m to continue developing interactive, voice-based games for car drivers.

The San Francisco-based startup, which was only founded in 2018, advertises its hands-free entertainment products as a way for drivers to “beat boredom” on long trips… and to do it safely.

It’s like going on a road trip with Alex Trebek

For $10 a month, Drivetime’s voice recognition-powered games give drivers an immersive entertainment alternative to music or podcasts. 

Drivetime’s most recent game is a hands-free version of Jeopardy. The company also offers a program called Storytime (an interactive audiobook) and a daily trivia game.

But it’s not just fun… it’s also safe

Hands-free voice games don’t just prevent drivers from dangerous boredom-busters like absentminded scrolling, they actively help drivers pay attention: Studies have shown that “alertness maintaining tasks” allow drivers to stay more focused.

A number of startups are building systems to monitor drowsy drivers. 

But Drivetime goes a step further — and actively prevents drivers from becoming drowsy in the first place. And if it continues to succeed, it’s likely that other companies will follow Drivetime’s lead.

Get the 5-minute news brief keeping 2.5M+ innovators in the loop. Always free. 100% fresh. No bullsh*t.