Can someone explain this Progressive Snapshot thing too me? Sound like a way the

[Justice wanted]

Insurance company spys on people.

[TheWraith]

1. It's a gadget that plugs into the diagnostic port on your car.

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. It can't tell where you are but might the insurance company use that data to hike your rates if

it doesn't like what it sees?

[TheWraith]

3. If you're driving like a maniac, yes.

You're not required to install the thing. It's a volunteer program.

[Hugabear]

7. Sure, it's voluntary...for NOW

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".

[Justice wanted]

8. +1

[sinkingfeeling]

9. I thought most new cars already had tell-all black boxes.

http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2011-05/new-federal-rules-could-require-cars-black-boxes-record-driver-activity

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 it’s 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 Wired’s 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]

5. I think it will be used to deny claims

[sharp_stick]

4. You leave it plugged in for a period of time

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]

6. it's voluntary if you look at it this way:

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.