Technology and tracking company Ituran Brasil has developed a black box for fleets. Similar to the tool available on airplanes, the equipment records the seconds before and after a crash.
One of the company’s goals is to expand the reach of its product, which would be offered at retail to reduce insurance premiums. One of the options is the Fleet-IQ application, which records how the driver drives and, through scores, shows his strengths and weaknesses while driving.
For example: if the driver frequently brakes suddenly because he does not maintain the correct distance from the car in front of him, his score will be low in this regard and he will be advised on the need to change his driving style.
“The app gathers critical real-time information about driving behavior, maintenance alerts, routes, driver performance and safety, enabling faster, more assertive decisions, even outside of the office,” states the service’s promotional materials for fleet owners.
However, the technology involves physical equipment that must be installed in the vehicle, which generates costs. There is also payment for a subscription service, which includes vehicle monitoring, generating technical reports and issuing automatic alerts to contact the fleet manager and emergency centers for help in the event of a collision.
Iturán believes that it is possible to allocate part of these resources to passenger cars, which would create lower-cost insurance policies for good drivers. On the other hand, costs could be high for those who, during monitoring, display a more risk-prone driving style.
Another concern is how insurers would use the monitoring tool, which could even become a requirement in some cases. The data available can indeed be a resource for security, but the technology raises issues that need to be observed.
By cross-referencing statistical data on thefts and vehicle thefts by region – Ituran itself developed a heat map with the most at-risk areas of Greater São Paulo – car owners could face an increase in the value of the policy from one year to the next due to having crossed areas considered dangerous. These regions may change from time to time, which would cause costs to rise and fall.
Another issue concerns user privacy, as data collection may conflict with the LGPD (General Law on Personal Data Protection).
Ituran has been cautious about the future of its automotive black box and has not yet set a deadline for expanding the service.
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