Confused.com launches driver-behavior app

Confused.com has launched a cell phone application that monitors driving behavior and rewards good drivers with various ‘cashback’ schemes. The company’s ‘MotorMate’ app has been developed in an exclusive partnership with MyDrive Solutions, the pre-eminent driver behavioral profiling company in the insurance telematics industry, and RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents). The app, which is a free download for Apple and Android operating systems, monitors and scores a driver based on: the number of journeys made; distances travelled; types of roads used; speed; time of travel; and levels of acceleration and braking. The driving behavior of the app user is monitored through the GPS on the driver’s cell phone and is not reliant on the mobile phone network, so it is not affected by connection black spots and loss of coverage.

The app’s MotorMark score is a reflection of how the user drives overall; taking into account factors such as anticipation, pace, acceleration, braking and cornering and gives a more thorough understanding of the driver’s behavior. The overall score also benchmarks the user’s driving score with that of an advanced RoSPA driver. The app aims to encourage people to think about their driving behaviors and how to improve and become a safer driver. The app defines a good driver as someone who drives at an appropriate speed for the road and takes into account the conditions of the road. It also requires good levels of anticipation in relation to other drivers when in traffic, and not driving aggressively. The company says there is also a very close correlation between safe driving and fuel consumption; with better drivers enjoying up to 15% better consumption figures.

Linden Holliday, CEO at MyDrive, said, “We are very pleased to be working with Confused.com on this project. Driving capability is a complex mix of cognitive and personality traits, as well as skill and competence. Through our exclusive relationship with RoSPA, we embed real knowledge of safe driving into our systems to accurately profile driver behavior. The app we have developed with Confused.com monitors driver performance and helps them become safer by providing specific and individual advice. The system works by monitoring the phone’s GPS each second; continuously checking for smooth and careful driving. By helping drivers become safer, we can help lower the cost of their car insurance.”

Joanne Garcia, head of emerging products at Confused.com, commented, “The launch of our new MotorMate app forms part of our on-going strategy, which is saving our customers money and the app does this by rewarding good drivers. By working with MyDrive and RoSPA, we are providing customers with an abundance of expertise on road safety and how to become a safer driver. As well as helping drivers become safer, the app allows customers to try the telematics experience before having to commit. It allows us to reward our customers for being good drivers and gives them a realistic driving score out of 100. By using the app drivers can really understand how they drive and over time they can improve on their driving skills, making them a safer driver; and hopefully making our roads safer too.”

24 August 2012