General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCan someone explain this Progressive Snapshot thing too me? Sound like a way the
Insurance company spys on people.
TheWraith
(24,331 posts)From there it can tell certain things like whether you brake gently or hard, whether you drive more or fewer miles than average, etcetera. It cannot tell where you are.
Justice wanted
(2,657 posts)it doesn't like what it sees?
TheWraith
(24,331 posts)You're not required to install the thing. It's a volunteer program.
Hugabear
(10,340 posts)How long before automakers begin installing this feature in all new cars? Or how long before these types of devices are mandated? Of course, it would all be under the auspices of "safety" and "reducing financial burdens".
sinkingfeeling
(51,279 posts)Someday your car will give you recommendations on where to eat, suggest more efficient routes between home and work, and even monitor your health. But for now its just keeping tabs on your driving habits, recording your behavior in case it needs to be reconstructed after an accident.
Federal officials are poised to announce next month that all cars must contain a black box, similar to that installed on airplanes, to give authorities a glimpse of your activities in the event of a car wreck. The devices could help pin down what happened in the moments before a crash, helping authorities determine who is at fault for what, and eliminating uncertainty from human witnesses.
Many cars with airbags and other systems already use electronic data recorders, but there are no clear federal rules about how the data can or should be used, as Wireds Autopia blog points out. Some states allow automobile black box data to be used in court, but others do not. Automakers have different, proprietary data storage systems, and there is no clearly defined method to retrieve it.
Broderick
(4,578 posts)sharp_stick
(14,400 posts)I think 30 days or something like that and then send it back in to the company. They download the data and figure out what your driving habits are and give you a quote based on that data.
The thing isn't left in your car after the original use, although I can easily foresee the permanent "snapshot" in the future.
unblock
(51,974 posts)you willingly agree to give up some privacy in exchange for a discount on your insurance premiums.
but it's not really voluntary if you look at it this way:
you have no choice but to pay more if you want to preserve your privacy.
of course, you could use a company that doesn't offer this distinction, but eventually the market will impose this choice.