Ever wanted to know what your teenage driver is doing with the car right now? Technology that gives parents the answer is poised to make the jump into the mainstream if some big car insurers can resolve worries about privacy.

You might already be aware that a small number of auto insurance companies are starting to offer systems that can monitor how a car is being driven, either by capturing and transmitting digital data about speed or location or capturing video of the driver. They are promoting these systems to consumers as a way to keep tabs on a newly licensed teenage driver.

Some of these systems use GPS devices to gather and transmit information about the vehicle's location and speed. Other systems offer speed, location, braking and other data, plus video of the driver and passengers. All of them speak directly to parents' fears about their kids' shaky judgment behind the wheel. These fears are well founded based on the statistics about teen drivers and accidents.

"The highest crash risk is when they first begin to drive without the parent in the vehicle," says Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "We do believe these devices have potential in helping teens to learn safe driving behaviors, and correct unsafe driving behavior faster than they would otherwise."

In-vehicle monitoring systems have been in use for some time among truck fleets and some company car fleets. The emergence of these virtual back-seat driver systems to keep watch over teens is relatively recent, but there are signs the concept is gaining momentum.