About

Your Instructor

Dr. Ron Holten has been teaching driver education since 1975 in the classroom and behind-the-wheel.  He has taught in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota, both in public schools and privately.  He is licensed by the North Dakota Department of Transportation to teach behind-the-wheel instruction and has instructed students from ages 14 to 83.  He is a retired Associate Professor from the Technology Education Department at Valley City State University.

The Driver Ed Car

The driver education car that you will drive is a 2024 Toyota Camry XLE Hybrid Sedan that has been inspected by the ND Department of Transportation.  This car is equipped with some unique safety features:

  • Instructor brake (required by the ND DOT)
  • Instructor mirror (required by the ND DOT)
  • First aid kit (required by the ND DOT)
  • Fire extinguisher (required by the ND DOT)
  • Back-up camera
  • DRL – LED Daytime Running LightsAHB – Auto High Beams detects nearby light sources such as the headlights or tail lights of vehicles ahead. The system automatically switches between high beams and low beams to ensure optimum nighttime visibility. This also helps vehicles detect pedestrians at night from further away.
  • LDA – Lane Departure Assistance with steering assist. If an inadvertent lane departure is detected, the Lane Departure Alert issues an audible warning and displays a warning on the instrument panel.
  • FSDRCC – Full-speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control that automatically adjusts vehicle speed to help maintain distance between you and the vehicle traveling in front of you.
  • BSM – Blind Spot Monitor.  When the available Blind Spot Monitor detects a vehicle, it illuminates a warning indicator on the appropriate sideview mirror
    to help you know when it’s safe to change lanes.
  • RCTA – Rear Cross-Traffic Alert works in much the same way. When you slowly back out of a driveway or parking spot, it provides audible and visual indicators to alert you of approaching vehicles.
  • Panoramic View Monitor _ uses front-, side- and rear-mounted cameras to display a panoramic overhead view. It helps you get in and out of the tightest spots with confidence.
  • Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking (PA w/AB) – This warns you when it detects nearby obstacles and, if necessary, under certain conditions, will reduce engine power and apply the brakes.
  • PCS w/PD – The Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection is designed to help detect a vehicle, pedestrian or bicyclist and provide an audio/visual forward-collision warning under certain circumstances. If you don’t react, the system is designed to provide automatic emergency braking.
  • Road Sign Assist – Using an intelligent camera, Road Sign Assist (RSA) is designed to detect speed limit signs, stop signs, Do Not Enter signs and yield signs, and display an icon of the sign on the Multi-Information Display (MID).
  • Safety Connect®. Emergency assistance is always within reach. Via Toyota’s 24/7 call center, Safety Connect® helpful features include Emergency Assistance, Stolen Vehicle Locator, Roadside Assistance and Automatic Collision Notification.
  • Ten Airbags – Camry has ten standard airbags, including a driver and front passenger Advanced Airbag System, driver and front passenger seat-mounted
    side airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, rear seat-mounted side airbags, and front and rear side curtain airbags.
  • Dash cams – One located on the front window to record driving in front of the vehicle, one on the front window to monitor in-car activity and conversation, and a third one on the rear window facing back.