This really upsets me!
Looks like it is easy for customers to overlook having OnStar SmartDriver being turned on or that it collects data that may be shared with insurance companies where not prohibited by state law.
I don’t have a car but I thought many of you would be interested.
I don’t have a vehicle that can do this, but it bothers me just the same. Other drivers are idiots, and I often have to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting or getting hit by terrible drivers. I would be livid to have my rates increase because of them. If anything, they should decrease as a result of my defensive driving skills.
I had a GM car in the recent past. I had OnStar SmartDriver turned on, but live in a state where insurance companies are not allowed to use its data. Going to the phone app associated with the car, it was easy to see that it may do that where allowed (indeed, it advertised that you may get lower insurance rates if your driving was rated highly). It also gave a score for each drive and showed the instances of hard braking and acceleration on a map for you to see where. I usually got a good score with only a hard acceleration event on a freeway on-ramp (where it may be necessary to merge into traffic properly).
But I can believe that a large number of drivers who sign up for OnStar at the dealer when they take delivery without carefully reading all of the disclosures including those on the SmartDriver feature and then never looking at the phone app or looking in the SmartDriver part of the phone app. (When I took delivery of the car, the dealer suggested signing up for OnStar then and there, but I declined and went home so that I could read all of the information when signing up, and avoid accidentally signing up for a paid plan that I did not want.)
If you “often” have the slam on the brakes, you may want to consider how to avoid the need for hard braking, such as by increasing following distances and looking further ahead on the road for traffic situations to allow for more gradual slowing if needed.
My son took insurance from Tesla, and I think his rates change based on data they collect. I also think he knew it going in (but it was less than half the rate of other insurance companies).
I am extremely careful, and I don’t need a lecture, thank you. I do not follow closely. However, when cars suddenly veer into my lane without bothering to signal that they plan to do so, I have to do something defensive. And yes, I check my rear view mirror first.
I think insurance companies promote (their own data gathering) as a chance for the responsible to see rates lowered.
I wonder what car insurance cost in Florida - every time I’m there (was this week) and I’m driving 77 and it’s dangerous - EVERYONE is passing me - and I mean EVERYONE - probably 85-90.
It’s the same every time!!
It’s a data oriented world - and all companies are using data - whether it’s to know when you are do for service (send you a coupon) or to sell your data to insurance (more money) and potentially even co brand or get paid a referral fee.
There are fleet management companies (think those who manage tens and hundreds of vehicles for their clients) - and the OEMs (think BMW, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Mercedes, Tesla, Toyota, etc. etc. sell them data from the connectivity/telematics options that they capture.
And similar things happen in other industries - think targeted offerings at grocery stores or web tracking - you are reading an article on CNN and Southwest Airlines pops up because you were looking at tickets yesterday.
So automakers yes - and everyone else. In an effort to enhance revenues (or in the case of car insurance reducing risk), data is a new product to help the bottom line!!
And for everyone who doesn’t pay for gas because of electric car wait until they tax you per mile driven. That info is also available.
Honestly - they need to do this - as infrastructure crumbles.
And in states with toll roads - i’m all for charging more for gas tax and losing the tolls - nothing more annoying than driving around Chicago, and in Florida and Texas.
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