In this modern age, the idea of tracking your vehicle's location at any time isn't that unheard of. But General Motors take it one more, interesting step further, enabling an option to let people know when you got home safely.

GM's Vehicle Locate service would allow users to automatically send a text message whenever a vehicle enters or leaves a pre-set area. The service replaces Family Link, which was limited to web browsers, and will be enabled on Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC mobile apps.

The boundary can be as much as 20 miles in size or as small as a specific address. Up to 10 different people can be added to the recipient list. And it's an opt-in service, so you can't harass people who don't care where you are.

According to Alejandra Gonzalez, product manager for Remote Services at Chevrolet, "Vehicle Locate provides both drivers and their loved ones with peace of mind in a variety of different drive-related scenarios." Some of the examples given from GM as to the service's usefulness include families who let each other know when their off work or at home, parents who want to keep track of when kids leave school, and friends who make sure that you get home from a date safely.

The same service will allow users to remotely control the vehicle's engine, locks, and lights from their smartphones.

Vehicle Locate will be available for any Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC vehicles from the 2012 model years or newer in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Depending on the vehicle purchased, it might be a free feature. The others will have to pay $14.99 a month.