Collision Avoidance Technology: A Safety Solution
An increasing number of fleets and individuals are installing collision avoidance technology, technology which has proven itself in the field. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), vehicles equipped with forward collision warning systems experience 20% fewer front-to-rear collisions causing injuries, while vehicles equipped with lane departure warnings experience 21% fewer injury-causing lane departure collisions (single-vehicle, sideswipe and head-on).
In addition to providing warnings to drivers, these systems apparently further reduce collision rates by improving driving habits in general. A University of Missouri study showed that three weeks after installing collision avoidance systems, the number of lane departure warnings dropped by 43% and forward collision warnings by 57%, showing safer driving habits.
That is, while the warnings themselves are provided to reduce collisions, the very fact of the warnings appears to improve driving behavior such that the warnings themselves are not even needed – a virtuous circle if ever there were one.
Do Collision Avoidance Systems Reduce Insurance Costs?
Insurance companies around the world have taken notice of the benefits of collision avoidance technology. For instance, Italy’s SARA Assicurazioni and Automobile Club Italia give their customers who install Mobileye’s collision avoidance system a 20% insurance premium discount. Qualitas Insurance has noted in many of its annual reports that they encourage installation of Mobileye for the safety of their policyholders and third parties.
In Germany, Munich Reinsurance America offers Mobileye technology to their customers and even initiated the Smart Mobility Program. This program includes a tool called Loss Detect. With Loss Detect, clients enter list of claims and within seconds Loss Detect will return a complete analysis of the incidents, including what amount of dollar losses could have been preventable. These reports are specifically tailored for each client and include recommendations to lower collision risk ranging from driver coaching to the installation of Mobileye’s collision avoidance system. According to Munich Re, around 60% of insurance claims for collisions are preventable.
Clearly insurers benefit from fewer collision and less payouts but, perhaps even more importantly, insurers working with collision avoidance technology will be able to reduce premiums and gain a significant competitive advantage.
For Insurance Providers – Why Mobileye?
Mobileye has years of experience working with insurance providers to lower claims, and for good reason. According to Accenture’s Technology Vision for Insurance 2017, “… insurers might partner with companies such as Mobileye, which provides a collision avoidance solution that uses a vision sensor to keep an eye on the road and warn drivers of potential danger. Thus, in addition to providing insurance theft and collision cover, insurers and ecosystems they’re part of could play a role in keeping customers safe as they drive.”
These insurers have been especially receptive to working with Mobileye for a couple of reasons:
First, Mobileye offers an all-in-one solution including headway monitoring and warning to prevent tailgating, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, pedestrian and cyclist collision warning and speed limit indicator. Second, Mobileye’s technology can easily be retrofitted into existing vehicles at the fraction of a cost of purchasing new vehicles. One key ingredient for an insurer’s profitability is keeping claims as low as possible. By offering customers discounts for installing collision avoidance systems such as Mobileye’s, insurers can both lower their premiums and their clients’ risk of collision. Insurers that take advantage of this opportunity will surely gain a significant competitive edge over the next few years.
Contact us to learn more about working with Mobileye to lower premiums while increasing profitability here.
