In psychology, we talk about illusory superiority when we refer to individuals overestimating themselves, in reference to their driving skills, for example. According to a study, 80% of all drivers think they are better than average, when it comes to actual driving behaviour.
The main goal of Coloride is to advance road safety by supporting drivers on a journey of improving their own behaviour behind the wheel. It records every car journey that is made, mapping out not only the location and the route itself, but also keeping track of risky maneuvers, smartphone distractions and excessive speeds. It gives us a chance to see what really happens behind the wheel. After each trip, drivers can then look at the app and see exactly how well or poorly their journey is rated.
Coloride provides multiple ways for drivers to keep track of their driving behaviour.
Apart from several factors, which can influence their performance, the road characteristics and the surroundings are also taken into account.
Our team of experienced data scientists and actuaries develop sophisticated algorithms and smart mathematical approaches that can summarise all of the above into one score – the Swiss Re Driver Score. This score plays an important role in translating the nuances of someone's own driving style into a measure that is simple for the driver to interpret.
In fact, we have also improved Coloride's home screen: drivers can now check their own driver score for the current week, track progress from the previous week, and quickly identify critical factors affecting the score - all from one dashboard.
One of the Swiss Re Driver Score's strengths is its flexibility in terms of its time window. In addition to weekly scores, Coloride provides scores over shorter or longer periods as well, including daily and/or monthly ones. Moreover, if the driver wants to dig even deeper, we can assign a score to each one of the trips, the trip score. By looking at the trip list, it's possible to identify the best or worst trips with the help of stars displayed next to them. It takes quite an effort to conclude a perfect trip!
The idea of developing My Scores originated from the need to provide drivers with more transparency. Through a targeted breakdown of the individual components, we enable drivers to see every single aspect and to study their development over weeks and months. With My Scores, users do not only see that they have a score of X% or that they record "a lot of maneuvers". We provide insights. For example, someone is driving too fast on the curves, speed limits are usually exceeded or whether the risk of accidents increases due to more journeys at rush hours.
Along with detailed driving insights, with My Scores, Coloride introduces new ways of comparing someone's driving scores with others.
Every chart tracking the driver's progress through time comes with an additional measure, representing a summary of other people's driving behaviour. By doing this, we can provide drivers with immediate and clear feedback on how well they are doing with respect to general driving trends.
Coloride also expands on this feedback with more granular statistics. Where does the driver stand with respect to the general population? Can they be considered a role model for others? Or should they work on cornering trajectories to be in the ranks of the best? This is where our comparative charts come into play. Drivers have a chance to dig deep into each aspect of their driving behaviour and identify any strong points that make them stand out. Conversely, where there are improvements to be made, focused driving tips will point drivers in the right direction. Sometimes, a simple suggestion can go a long way.
One challenge we faced when building comparative charts emerged from cross-cultural differences in driving behaviour. When on a trip outside of their home country, drivers act differently. This can be attributed to the fact that they might face different regulations in terms of where road signs are positioned, or country-specific signs, and even varying levels of driving aggressiveness (road rage).
It then makes sense that drivers can compare themselves with a consistent population within the same country.
In order to provide the user with the best possible support and coaching, we uncover their greatest weaknesses and help them improve in these areas. We send weekly reports that show the extent to which the driving behaviour has changed, compared to the previous week, and in which areas it has improved or worsened. We give drivers tips on how to improve in their worst performing categories. As a result, drivers not only learn to drive more carefully, but at the same time also to save money through lower fuel consumption and therefore achieve lower CO2 emissions. Recent studies confirm that a circumspect driver can save up to 40% fuel compared to a more impulsive driver.
As mentioned, in recent months our efforts have focused on how to improve transparency and the interpretation of the scoring system that powers our telematics offering. Hence, all the exciting features we have just covered: a clearer home dashboard, an entirely new My Scores module with in-depth statistics and comparative data, weekly driving reports, and tailored coaching tips.
Since the user perspective is paramount here, how do they feel about Coloride's fresh face?
Good news: both new and long-term Coloride users reported an increased perceived clarity on what scores refer to, which factors concretely affect their driving performance, and how to avoid them in the future. This confirms the outcome of a lot of in-depth research highlighting how raising awareness about poor driving habits and investing in driver coaching really works: costs remain under control and the roads stay safer for everyone.
For a specific client, where policyholders were given an economic incentive to drive better, after 4 months we observed a 15% average reduction in the number of dangerous maneuvers as detected by Coloride.
Due to the high number of people thinking that their driving score is above average, it is important to demonstrate the reality to the driver.
Our solution is not about providing invasive feedback that could distract even more – like those co-pilots that know better! Our team of experts from different areas such as data science, behavioural economics and UX/UI is developing a solution that allows drivers to experience individual driver coaching in a whole new way. Stay tuned – more is coming next!
