New Interior Accessory: the Automatic

[whizkid21]

www.Automatic.com

 

My friend showed this to me the other day. I figured I'd share it with the community to get thoughts and opinions.

 

I've yet to get my HyTi, but it seems like the Automatic's driver feedback is similar to what the Fusion offers. But unlike the Fusion, the Automatic's chimes seem to scold you at the moment you mess up. This is supposed to increase the effectiveness of the driver behavior modification.

 

What say you?

[acdii]

Would be much more effective if it offered electro shock therapy. Now if THAT doesnt get you to drive sensibly, nothing will! :)

[corncobs]

Just watched the intro video seems like a smart idea but how much more information we would get out of it. Our FFH already tell us a ton of stuff and shows us how fuel efficient we are driving; besides the hopefully big number in front of MPG after a trip.

Now if this device would allow for additional data output while we are driving like instant MPG it would be something else and a threat for Scangauge.

[kuzzi]

Would be much more effective if it offered electro shock therapy. Now if THAT doesnt get you to drive sensibly, nothing will! :)

I wish it would give electro-shock therapy to all drivers around me.

[hybridbear]

Seems like a useful tool for ppl who don't have cars that provide a plethora of data like the Fusions. I'm still thinking about getting a scan gauge for our car...

[hermans]

Sounds somewhat like Progressive Insurance's big brother snap shop device.

[kuzzi]

Sounds somewhat like Progressive Insurance's big brother snap shop device.

That thing actually saved me a boat load of cash. It is a little on the creepy side, though, as far as constant monitoring goes.

 

Being under 25 years of age and moving to Houston area, my insurance rates skyrocketed, even with a perfect driving record. For full coverage insurance on my old truck it was $150/month, cheapest rate through Progressive. I received the Snapshot device and bought my Sportster (way cheaper insurance @ $40/mo and even cheaper gas). I drove the truck maybe once or twice a week during the rating period and received the full discount based on the driving I did do. Insurance then dropped to $90/mo on the truck and I shopped that around and then I was at $80/mo. Saved almost 50% thanks to that device then paid off the bike with the savings, :yahoo: haha.

[neod192]

It looks like that device is pulling the same data and works the same way as my bluetooth ODB II scanner, but has a much nicer phone app to display/analyze it.

 

Here's mine: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KL0I9I/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[hybridbear]

It looks like that device is pulling the same data and works the same way as my bluetooth ODB II scanner, but has a much nicer phone app to display/analyze it.

 

Here's mine: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KL0I9I/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The one you bought is also a lot cheaper!

[hybridbear]

That thing actually saved me a boat load of cash. It is a little on the creepy side, though, as far as constant monitoring goes.

 

Being under 25 years of age and moving to Houston area, my insurance rates skyrocketed, even with a perfect driving record. For full coverage insurance on my old truck it was $150/month, cheapest rate through Progressive. I received the Snapshot device and bought my Sportster (way cheaper insurance @ $40/mo and even cheaper gas). I drove the truck maybe once or twice a week during the rating period and received the full discount based on the driving I did do. Insurance then dropped to $90/mo on the truck and I shopped that around and then I was at $80/mo. Saved almost 50% thanks to that device then paid off the bike with the savings, :yahoo: haha.

I'd be interested in trying one of those devices in the future. The concern I would have is if the device makes our rates increase rather than decrease... Progressive will offer this service to even non-Progressive customers in certain states so that they can see what their Progressive rate would be based on the results of the Snapshot device, unfortunately MN is not one of them.

[murphy]

Having anything plugged into your OBDII port may prevent the running of a Vehicle Health Report. I use a Davis Car Chip and I have to remove it before I can run a VHR.

 

State Farm has just started a program where discounts based on the mileage reported by a VHR will be possible. I'm not sure how this works because I have been runnung VHRs on the 1st of every month since May 2009 and I have never seen the odometer reading in the report. If you are a low mileage driver the savings can be substantial. I have been on their less than 7500 miles program for years. Since I retired 12 years ago my yearly mileage has not exceeded 4000 miles.

[kuzzi]

I'd be interested in trying one of those devices in the future. The concern I would have is if the device makes our rates increase rather than decrease... Progressive will offer this service to even non-Progressive customers in certain states so that they can see what their Progressive rate would be based on the results of the Snapshot device, unfortunately MN is not one of them.

No increase, only decrease.

 

They monitor at what times of the day your drive (rush hour or late night/early morning = bad). How long you drive (longer commute = more chance of accident according to them). And how many hard brakes you do (hard brake possibly means that you were tailgating or speeding or just generally not paying attention to the road). They have limits, like 3 hard brakes/week and you will still get full discount.

[aaronj1159]

No increase, only decrease.

 

They monitor at what times of the day your drive (rush hour or late night/early morning = bad). How long you drive (longer commute = more chance of accident according to them). And how many hard brakes you do (hard brake possibly means that you were tailgating or speeding or just generally not paying attention to the road). They have limits, like 3 hard brakes/week and you will still get full discount.

I would absolutely fail everything but the braking part. I drive early morning and early evening for work. And I drive 36.6 miles one way to work. So those wouldn't help me any. But I never go higher than the speed limit these days unless I absolutely have to for safety reasons.

[kuzzi]

I would absolutely fail everything but the braking part. I drive early morning and early evening for work. And I drive 36.6 miles one way to work. So those wouldn't help me any. But I never go higher than the speed limit these days unless I absolutely have to for safety reasons.

For some reason, they don't care about speed. They know you gotta keep up with traffic to be safer. The BW8 500 starts everyday around 65-70 mph but can hit near 80mph closer to lunch. (That's mass average speed too, not maximum speed).

 

I drove at rush hour every day and it didn't ding me. Maybe if you were driving all day long they might ding you (like a hotshot driver). The late night (after the bars close) hours were the ones they would pay attention to. It was reasonable, but you do have to stick the device in the OBDII port and LEAVE it for 1 or 2 months, otherwise you have to start over.

[aaronj1159]

For some reason, they don't care about speed. They know you gotta keep up with traffic to be safer. The BW8 500 starts everyday around 65-70 mph but can hit near 80mph closer to lunch. (That's mass average speed too, not maximum speed).

 

I drove at rush hour every day and it didn't ding me. Maybe if you were driving all day long they might ding you (like a hotshot driver). The late night (after the bars close) hours were the ones they would pay attention to. It was reasonable, but you do have to stick the device in the OBDII port and LEAVE it for 1 or 2 months, otherwise you have to start over.

Sorry, I kinda left out part of my thought in my original post. I meant to say that I never break the speed limit, thus I rarely have to brake hard unless something unusual is happening.

[dalesky]

Would be much more effective if it offered electro shock therapy. Now if THAT doesnt get you to drive sensibly, nothing will! :)

OUCH!

[neod192]

but you do have to stick the device in the OBDII port and LEAVE it for 1 or 2 months, otherwise you have to start over.

That's what they say, but I unplugged mine all the time. If I knew I was going to drive at night, I would just leave the thing unplugged :) Still got the 30% discount on both cars.

 

It takes 5-6 months to get the full picture, not 1-2 months. You get your initial discount after 30 days:

 

 

How quickly will I start saving?

After you've logged 30 days of driving, any savings you earn will kick in immediately. Then, you'll stay plugged in for five more months to set your ongoing renewal discount.

[neod192]

I'd be interested in trying one of those devices in the future. The concern I would have is if the device makes our rates increase rather than decrease... Progressive will offer this service to even non-Progressive customers in certain states so that they can see what their Progressive rate would be based on the results of the Snapshot device, unfortunately MN is not one of them.

 

Are you sure the snapshot device isn't available in MN? MN is not on the exclusion list below:

 

Can anyone try Snapshot?

As long as Snapshot is available in your state—it's available in most, except AK, CA, HI, IN, NC and TN —you can sign up when you get your Progressive auto quote. Or if you aren't ready to switch your insurance yet, you can test drive Snapshot for 30 days to see if it's right for you.

The option to take a test drive is available in most of the states where Snapshot is available, except AK, CA, HI, IN, NC, NE, NY and TN.

[hybridbear]

Are you sure the snapshot device isn't available in MN? MN is not on the exclusion list below:

MN was excluded before. I just checked today and now MN is not excluded, but the Fusion Hybrid is excluded

[neod192]

MN was excluded before. I just checked today and now MN is not excluded, but the Fusion Hybrid is excluded

I have the snapshot discount on my Fusion Hybrid ...

[hybridbear]

I have the snapshot discount on my Fusion Hybrid ...

Do you have the device in your Fusion Hybrid? When it asks you to tell them about your vehicle to sign up for the trial they say that the Fusion Hybrid is excluded when I select that as my vehicle model.

[neod192]

Do you have the device in your Fusion Hybrid? When it asks you to tell them about your vehicle to sign up for the trial they say that the Fusion Hybrid is excluded when I select that as my vehicle model.

Oh, I used the device on my old Gti and returned it. When I switched to the Fusion, I just replaced the car on my policy (instead of adding it) so the discount transferred over. If I would've added the Fusion to the policy, it wouldn't get the discount.

[acdii]

I have Gieco, and have saved well over $400 over 21st Century. I doubt Progressive could beat it. Besides, i would be afraid of looking in my mirror and seeing Flo! She is one scary looking woman with all that makeup!