Systems and methods using a mobile device to collect data for insurance premiums
A system and method for determining a vehicle insurance premium for a period of time based at least in part on collected vehicle operation data, the system comprising: a mobile device, comprising: one or more sensors associated with the mobile device and configured to automatically collect vehicle operation data during a data collection session; a processor; a non-transitory storage medium; a display; a transmitter; and a set of computer readable instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium and when executed by the processor configured to allow the mobile device to collect vehicle operation data and transmit the collected vehicle operation data; and a remote processing computer, comprising: a server that receives collected vehicle operation data; a database that stores collected vehicle operation data; and a rating engine that determines a vehicle insurance premium based at least in part on collected vehicle operation data.
1. A computer-implemented method for collecting and processing vehicle operation data by a mobile device of a user, the method comprising:
during a driving session and while collecting vehicle operation data associated with operation of a vehicle while the vehicle is operating, monitoring, by the mobile device, changes in an orientation of the mobile device relative to the vehicle by:
receiving global positioning system (GPS) data for the vehicle;
comparing the GPS data for the vehicle and mobile device position data collected during the driving session by one or more integrated sensors or devices located in the mobile device;
based on the comparison of the GPS data for the vehicle and the mobile device position data collected by the one or more integrated sensors or devices, automatically determining, by the mobile device, changes in the orientation of the mobile device relative to the vehicle during the driving session and while the vehicle operation data is being collected; and
automatically adjusting, by the mobile device, via execution of a compensation algorithm, at least a portion of the collected vehicle operation data based on the determined changes in the orientation of the mobile device relative to the vehicle during the driving session and while the vehicle operation data is being collected to enhance vehicle operation data quality.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the method comprising:
processing, by the mobile device, the automatically adjusted vehicle operation data; and
wirelessly transmitting the processed automatically adjusted vehicle operation data, by the mobile device, to a remote computer for calculating an insurance premium or otherwise adjusting an insurance policy based on the transmitted processed automatically adjusted vehicle operation data.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein: processing, by the mobile device, the automatically adjusted vehicle operation data comprises
calculating, by the mobile device, one or more driving behavior metrics; and
wirelessly transmitting, by the mobile device, the processed automatically adjusted vehicle operation data to the remote computer comprises wirelessly transmitting, by the mobile device, the calculated one or more driving behavior metrics to the remote computer.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein wirelessly transmitting the processed automatically adjusted vehicle operation data from the mobile device to a remote computer comprises wirelessly transmitting periodically.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein processing, by the mobile device, the automatically adjusted vehicle operation data comprises preparing, by the mobile device, the automatically adjusted vehicle operation data for transmission to the remote computer.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is a device selected from the group consisting of a smartphone, a cell phone, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, and a tablet-style computer.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein collecting vehicle operation data by the mobile device comprises sensing, by at least one of the integrated sensors or devices located in the mobile device, a characteristic of the mobile device selected from distance traveled, location, time, and g-force dynamics.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein collecting vehicle operation data by the mobile device comprises collecting vehicle operation data periodically during the driving session.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising loading a driving analysis application onto the mobile device prior to collecting the vehicle operation data by executing the driving analysis application.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein collecting, by the mobile device, vehicle operation data comprises stopping collection of the vehicle operation data in response to a triggering event selected from vehicle engine stop, threshold vehicle engine RPM, and vehicle immobility.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, the computer-executable instructions when executed by a processor of a mobile device causes the mobile device to perform operations comprising:
during a driving session and while collecting vehicle operation data associated with operation of a vehicle while the vehicle is operating, monitoring changes in an orientation of the mobile device relative to the vehicle by:
receiving global positioning system (GPS) data for the vehicle;
comparing the GPS data for the vehicle and mobile device position data collected during the driving session by one or more integrated sensors or devices located in the mobile device;
based on the comparison of the GPS data for the vehicle and the mobile device position data collected by the one or more integrated sensors or devices, automatically determining changes in the orientation of the mobile device relative to the vehicle during the driving session and while the vehicle operation data is being collected; and
automatically adjusting via execution of a compensation algorithm, at least a portion of the collected vehicle operation data based on the determined changes in the orientation of the mobile device relative to the vehicle during the driving session and while the vehicle operation data is being collected to enhance vehicle operation data quality.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the mobile device to:
process the automatically adjusted vehicle operation data; and
wirelessly transmit the processed automatically adjusted vehicle operation data to a remote computer for calculating an insurance premium or otherwise adjusting an insurance policy based on the transmitted processed automatically adjusted vehicle operation data.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the mobile device to:
calculate one or more driving behavior metrics; and
wherein to wirelessly transmit the processed automatically adjusted vehicle operation data to the remote computer comprises wirelessly transmitting the calculated one or more driving behavior metrics to the remote computer.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein to wirelessly transmit the processed automatically adjusted vehicle operation data from the mobile device to a remote computer, the computer-executable instructions cause the mobile device to wirelessly transmit periodically.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein to process the automatically adjusted vehicle operation data, the computer-executable instructions cause the mobile device to prepare the automatically adjusted vehicle operation data for transmission to the remote computer.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device is a device selected from the group consisting of a smartphone, a cell phone, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, and a tablet-style computer.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein to collect vehicle operation data by the mobile device, the computer-executable instructions cause the mobile device to sense, by at least one of the integrated sensors or devices located in the mobile device, a characteristic of the mobile device selected from distance traveled, location, time, and g-force dynamics.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein to collect vehicle operation data by the mobile device, the computer-executable instructions cause the mobile device to collect vehicle operation data periodically during the driving session.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the mobile device to load a driving analysis application onto the mobile device prior to collecting the vehicle operation data by executing the driving analysis application.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein to collect, by the mobile device, vehicle operation data, the computer-executable instructions cause the mobile device to stop collection of the vehicle operation data in response to a triggering event selected from vehicle engine stop, threshold vehicle engine RPM, and vehicle immobility.