Who wants a self driving car?

http://mashable.com/2012/04/29/self-driving-cars/?utm_source=iphoneapp

Who wants a self driving car? Researchers at J.D. Power and Associates conducted a study to find out who would be willing to buy a car with such futuristic features, and the reaction was certainly not unanimous. In this video, Adam Falk shows you a few self-driving cars and explains the results of the study.

With the emphasis on infotainment in new cars and the numerous distractions it brings, along with the burgeoning plague of texting drivers, this new technology can’t come a moment too soon, in our opinion.

How about you? Would you be willing to pay a few thousand dollars for features in your car that could, say, do the driving for you in bumper-to-bumper traffic? Or would you rather wait for others to fully test the technology before you get behind the wheel and do nothing?

No more speeding tickets -SpeedAlert-Live the free app that protects your driving license from the risks of unintentional speeding.  www.speedalertlive.com

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safe driving was an important part of the coal industry's effort to improve its safety record."

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/new-road-safety-guidelines-for-mine-workers/2537573.aspx?src=rss

New road safety guidelines for mine workers
IAN KIRKWOOD
29 Apr, 2012 06:18 AM
NEW road safety guidelines for mine workers driving to and from mining sites will be launched this evening by Resources and Energy Minister Chris Hartcher.
Mr Hartcher is the guest of honour at a NSW Minerals Council conference dinner tonight at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley at Cessnock.

Federal shadow finance spokesman Andrew Robb will address the conference tomorrow morning.

More than 550 people are expected to attend the conference, which runs until lunchtime Wednesday.

Minerals NSW chief executive Stephen Galilee said the guidelines had been developed by the council as part of the Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue.

Mr Hartcher said safe driving was an important part of the coal industry's effort to improve its safety record.

"The new recommended guidelines encourage NSW mining companies to ensure their employees are maintaining safe practices not only when driving to and from mining operations but at all times," Mr Hartcher said.

Insurance Telematics in the US: Ready to Grow?

http://uk.telematicsupdate.com/fc_tele_evupdatelz/lz.aspx?p1=052584S7321&CC=&p=1&cID=0&cValue=1

Insurance Telematics in the US: Ready to Grow?

The Insurance Telematics USA 2012 conference will gather insurance carriers, regulatory officials, DOT managers and consultants to discuss upcoming standards and state level regulatory criteria regarding UBI and insurance telematics.

The line-up includes Towers Watson, amongst other experts, who will reveal the key sales models and tactics to speed up UBI penetration rates. Complete your details on the right to download the brochure. >>

Why usage-based insurance is poised for growth in the US, despite low consumer awareness

To the industry optimist, insurance telematics in the US is surging. Progressive, one of the largest auto insurers in America, has launched SnapShot, a pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) insurance program available in two-thirds of the country.

The program tracks miles driven, amount of time, time of day, and speed, and presents it all through an online reporting tool.

GMAC insurance group, meanwhile, offers a Low Mileage Discount to GM drivers who own OnStar and drive less than 15,000 miles a year. The program is available in more than 30 states.

For more insight into speeding up UBI penetration download the Insurance Telematics USA conference brochure. >>

Research from industry analyst Towers Watson suggests that 60 percent of the personal auto insurance market in the US is covered by insurers that offer some form of a usage-based insurance (UBI) program.

Robin Harbage, a director at Towers Watson and a long-time veteran of the insurance telematics space (he oversaw deployment of TripSense, one of Progressive’s predecessors to SnapShot, in its first three states) says that 10 of the top 25 insurance companies in the country have gone public with UBI programs, including Liberty Mutual (Onboard Advisor), State Farm (Drive Safe & Save), and Allstate (Drive Wise).

An additional six of the top 25 are currently piloting programs.

“The data companies collect from these programs can become a competitive tool with potentially huge benefits,” says Harbage. “Those benefits will go to the first movers. The industry is catching on, which is why it’s starting to explode.”

Learn about key sales models and tactics to speed up penetration rates at Insurance Telematics USA 2012. Complete your details on the right to download the brochure. >>

Not yet mainstream

To the industry pessimist, however, it’s a less compelling story. Yes, many auto insurers offer programs in select states, but few, if any, of these programs have become mainstream successes. “Usage-based insurance” or similar terms like “pay-as-you-drive” are yet to enter the popular lexicon in America.

While studies have shown that as many as 30 percent of US citizens would consider UBI offerings, far fewer than that actually know these offerings exist.

State-based regulatory issues make it difficult to roll out nationwide programs and occasionally challenge insurers’ ability to deploy telematics in a useful way on a regional level.

California, for instance, limits the parameters that companies can use in pricing. Furthermore, insurance providers continue to wrestle with practical ways to offset the cost of device acquisition, installation, and operating costs without asking drivers to incur some of the expense.

Learn about key sales models and tactics to speed up penetration rates at Insurance Telematics USA 2012. Complete your details on the right to download the brochure. >>

All of the active programs in the US are currently incentive-based offerings; they provide the possibility of a discount without the equal possibility of a rate increase.

John Canali, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, says that some people propose “all sorts of funny math to justify” the business case behind insurance telematics in the US.

As device costs continue to decrease and OEMs embed telematics solutions in new vehicles, the business case will grow, but “everything is still in its infancy,” he says.

Waiting for a breakthrough

Experts, optimistic and pessimistic alike, agree that the US insurance telematics market is on the cusp of a breakthrough and that several forces could provide the spark to bring it into the mainstream.

First, as OEMs start to embed telematics solutions before cars trundle off the factory line, it helps deflect much of the cost for insurers. That’s why embedded solutions like OnStar have proven attractive to insurers like GMAC and State Farm, whose Drive Safe & Save program is available only to drivers with OnStar activated.

“If you envision a time when cars already come equipped with telematics, it’s ideal for the insurance industry because no one has to worry about hardware,” says Trautsch.

Learn about key sales models and tactics to speed up penetration rates in the US at Insurance Telematics USA 2012. Complete your details on the right to download the brochure>>

“You simply tell clients they have telematics on board, and they can sign up for these programs. The OEM model makes this very feasible.”

According to management consultancy A.T. Kearney, upward of 40 percent of vehicles in the US made in the 2010 model year have some sort of embedded solution.

If that trend continues, it makes the business case for insurance telematics far more compelling.

Bringing UBI to the Masses

Insurance Telematics USA 2012 will explore how to design bespoke UBI products and assess key sales, business model and mass management tactics to speed up penetration rates in the US. Topics include:

• New revenue streams available through UBI to secure strategic relationships with key players, such as OEMs, wireless carriers and insurers, to maximize returns

• How the industry can establish standards for data collection and sharing to protect consumer privacy, whilst exploiting the full potential of UBI

• Maximize the Govt. benefits, such as tax credits, and overcome the barriers to service distribution

Over half (57%) of all drivers expect to switch to a telematics-based car insurance policy by 2017 according to research from Gocompare.com

http://www.news9.com/story/17563251/over-half-57-of-all-drivers-expect-to-switch-to-a-telematics-based-car-insurance-policy-by-2017-according-to-research-from-gocomparecom


NEWPORT, Wales, April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Fifty-seven per cent of drivers believe they will switch to a telematics or "black box" insurance policy in the next five years, according to a new study* from Gocompare.com.

The study into the relationship between driving habits and insurance found that a wide cross-section of motorists are open to the idea of telematics-based car insurance. In fact, 59 per cent of over 55s said they may switch to one of these policies in the next five years and 19 per cent of all drivers were happy to consider it at their next renewal.

However, the research also identified the issues which have held back the sector until now, including low levels of awareness, the lack of big name insurers and evidence of real savings in terms of premiums and fuel costs.

The survey highlighted the strong underlying support for car insurance premiums based primarily on the way you drive, not on age and gender, with careful drivers rewarded with cheaper premiums:

92 per cent of drivers think that their car insurance premiums should be based largely on the way they drive;
97 per cent think careful drivers should be rewarded with cheaper insurance;
60 per cent think that car insurance premiums should be based on where they drive and the time of day;
Only 49 per cent think premiums should be based largely on age and gender.
Scott Kelly, head of car insurance at Gocompare.com commented, "Over the last few years we've seen car insurance premiums reach record highs. The outlook for 2012 is little better with further increases expected, as well as a degree of uncertainty for young drivers once the European Court of Justice gender ruling takes effect; insurers will no-longer be able to take gender into account when calculating premiums.

"Most insurers currently price their policies based on a series of generalisations around claims experience, location, age, sex and the type of car. Most don't consider an individual's actual driving habits until they have built up a record of safe, claim-free or incident-free driving over a number of years and have subsequently earned a no-claims discount. According to insurance companies, young drivers - particularly males - are most likely to make claims and therefore face the highest premiums. The average shop around premium for a driver aged between 17 and 22 is £2,497**, nearly treble the average price. While this group has potentially the most to gain from "black box" car insurance, with an average saving of £521 achieved with insurethebox telematics insurance***, the concept appears to have broad appeal."

Gocompare.com's research also outlined the steps the industry still needs to take to make "black box" car insurance policies more attractive to consumers:

75 per cent of drivers would expect cheaper car insurance premiums
54 per cent would like regular incentives in terms of discounts and special deals
43 per cent think more awareness of the benefits of behaviour-based policies would be beneficial
40 per cent would like savings on fuel by driving better or less
35 per cent want to see big insurance brands offering behaviour-based policies
33 per cent would like to be able to access data on their driving behaviour via a PC-based dashboard
29 per cent would appreciate advice on how to improve their driving based on their own data

Scott Kelly concluded, "Given the rising costs of motoring, we think that the new generation of telematics car insurance policies will play a greater role in the car insurance market in the coming months. And, as our survey shows, many drivers, across all age groups, would happily embrace the new in-car technology in a bid to keep their premiums down."

Telematics technology operates via a small black box, roughly the size of a mobile phone, which is fitted to your car and measures driving behaviours such as time of travel, distance, types of roads used, speed, levels of acceleration and braking and accidents. The insurer uses this information to generate a risk profile for your driving and charge a premium accordingly. Policyholders also benefit from access to an online portal where they can monitor their driving behaviour, which may help them assess ways to better improve their skills or reduce their mileage, and a tracking facility should the car be stolen.

Gocompare.com currently offers car insurance quotes from insurethebox and coverbox.

http://www.gocompare.com/car-insurance/telematics-car-insurance/

* Research commissioned by Gocompare.com. On 7th to 8th February, 2012 Vision Critical conducted an online survey among 2,008 British drivers with their own car insurance policy who are Springboard UK panellists.

**According to the AA's benchmark British Insurance Premium Index dated 19th January 2012

***Customers saved an average £521 on their car insurance with insurethebox (based on a survey of 850 customers between 15/11/2010 to 17/08/2011)

Notes to editors:

SA Drivers flout police warnings

http://www.murrayvalleystandard.com.au/news/local/news/general/drivers-flout-police-warnings/2527103.aspx?src=rss

A POLICE clampdown during the five-day Easter break has shown drivers are failing to listen to road safety messages.
South Australians made up 49 of the 2000 people caught drink driving and 20 of the 175 who recorded positive drug tests in the operation which spanned across Australia and New Zealand.

More than 35,000 drivers were caught speeding and 3500 licence offences were recorded across both countries during the period.

Australia New Zealand Police Advisory Agency chief executive officer Jon White said Operation Crossroads was timed during Easter to remind motorists speeding was a major contributor to road trauma.

“It is regrettable that we have to continually highlight to people the danger their driving behaviour poses to their own safety and that of other road users,” he said.

More than 200 police officers manned static and mobile driver testing units across South Australia during the operation.

In the Murraylands, a 43-year-old Murray Bridge man was allegedly caught driving on Swanport Road with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.294 per cent during the early hours of April 6.

One life was lost on South Australian roads during the Easter break, while 11 road-related deaths were recorded across Australia.

School zone speed limits – why do some people comply only sometimes?

http://www.news.qut.edu.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/News.woa/wa/goNewsPage?newsEventID=42897
School zone speed limits – why do some people comply only sometimes?

Speed surveys show many drivers still exceed the school zone speed limit and a Queensland University of Technology (QUT) study aims to find out why.

School zones have lower speed limits before and after school in order to keep children safe and QUT is looking for a range of drivers to take part in its study so it can propose ways to encourage drivers to comply with the speed limit.

PhD student from the Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety - Queensland (CARRS-Q), Suhaila Abdul Hanan, said the number of drivers being booked for speeding within school zones had steadily increased over the past few years: 12,335 in 2009, almost 16,000 in 2010, and 8,822 in just the first six months of last year.

"As these figures are based on the number of drivers caught speeding, the real figure is probably somewhat higher," she said.

"This is cause for concern, because the likelihood of pedestrian fatalities increases markedly for every kilometre over the speed limit a vehicle travels.

"Children aged five to nine are particularly vulnerable because they're harder to see and less able to deal with traffic. While children in the 10 to 14 year old age bracket often understand how to cross the road safely, they may not always do so."

Ms Abdul Hanan said driver behaviour in school zones could be influenced by a number of factors including the volume of traffic, the number of children about, habitual behaviours, being in a hurry, and unfamiliarity with the road.

Her research will provide insights into why some drivers always comply with the school zone speed limit, some never, and others only sometimes.

Ms Abdul Hanan is looking for drivers over 18 years of age who hold a valid Australian driver's licence to undertake a two-part online survey. The time needed to complete both of the surveys is 30 minutes and the results should be available in about three months.

"It is my hope that this research will provide information that will help to make school zones safer places for children."

No more speeding tickets -SpeedAlert-Live the free app that protects your driving license from the risks of unintentional speeding.  www.speedalertlive.com

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U-turn needed on license suspension system

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/44234.html

Despite the recent relaxing of the driver demerit points in NSW there is another black spot that appears to be a blind spot across all Australian jurisdictions. When accumulated demerit points lead to license suspension, innocent family members can be punished more than the offender.

Unrestricted license holders can accumulate 13 points instead of 12 over a three-year period, and the demerit points for 22 existing offences were either reduced or deleted. This may score some timely merit points for the ailing state government that itself has accumulated enough demerit points to warrant its own license suspension in the forthcoming election. But it stops short of delivering on a wider brief that was given to the a working party who were to examine sanctions other than demerit points such as completing driver education, and restricted licenses instead of license suspensions to “alleviate family hardship”.

Having recently attended a funeral of an elderly lady who was tragically killed by a speeding motorist, I am acutely aware of the permanent devastation that this causes the family members. But I am also frustrated by the disregard given to innocent family members as a result of one family member having their license suspended. Their temporary hardship may lead to more permanent problems that research is yet to bear out.

When my work colleague had her license suspended due to accumulated demerit points, she had to walk her children to school. With her multiple sclerosis, this takes 40-minutes each way, each day. She would arrive to work late and aching every day, jeopardising her livelihood. She resorted to online shopping which impacted on the family budget. She had to pay for taxis to attend her specialist appointments. Her children missed so many sports training sessions after school that they had to withdraw.

The domino effect within the family cannot be over-stated. She insists that if punishment had to be meted out, this humiliation instantaneously took place when the police issued the fine and she was reduced to tears. But everything else that followed did not drill in the lesson any deeper. It merely spilled out to punish innocent family members who developed a contempt for these ‘blind spot’ laws. When she pleaded in writing to prevent these hardships, she received a standard letter of rejection.

Another friend had been abandoned by an adulterous husband, and struggled to maintain her children’s extra-curricula life as she was now rushing on her own. When speeding fines resulted in license suspension, she was stigmatised by her family and her children felt like lepers. Her son became the last person to be picked up from school, compounding the grief of separated parents, resulting in more social isolation when he most needed support.

Another acquaintance is a carer for her sister with Down Syndrome and was incriminated in an accident where she was merely a witness. When she pleaded with the magistrate regarding her dependent and disabled sister, she was told that she should have thought about that before doing the crime.

Similarly, another carer I know looks after her elderly father who was recently diagnosed with cancer. He depended on her to transport him to his plethora of forthcoming appointments, and the licence suspension will hurt him more than her.

A young relative had her license suspended during a double demerit long weekend. The police officer was hiding behind a tree on a road with a steep descent. Given the topography, every car was issued with a speeding fine, like fish in a net. The officer tried to placate my devastated daughter with “it is all a mater of luck”. I thought it was supposed to be a matter of safety.

Moreover, it is a matter of money. Not just the money made by the State Debt Recovery Office, but the money the motorist possesses, as those who can afford the technologies of cruise control and navigators are literally better equipped to prevent this bad luck with the “speed camera ahead” and ‘exceeding speed limit” and “school zone ahead” verbal warnings.

She had to sacrifice her part-time employment, her father had to leave his own employment for an hour a day to drive his children home from school, then make up for it after hours, which meant much less family time each night. She also had to sacrifice her dance classes, after 14 years of continuity, which threw her so far behind that she never returned.

As there was no way she could afford the fine, court costs, and enrolment into police community youth club, this directly impacted on the entire family’s budget.

This should not be an issue of political point scoring, but a matter of ensuring that the penalty reaches the target person without causing such severe hardship to dependent family members.

The entire licence suspension regime should be reviewed. While the offender may be devastated on day one, their family and dependents pay a premium price for the rest of the three months. Proposals such as restricted driving and compulsory driver education are effective in other countries and indeed have merit in Australia.

Joseph Wakim established the Streetwork Project for exploited children in Adelaide in 1986, was appointed Victorian Multicultural Affairs Commissioner in 1991, and founded the Australian Arabic Council in 1992.