Systems and methods for configuring a vehicle

• US 10,252,727 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Braun, Florian, Buentello, Andre Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Odeh, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US15/254,457
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36, 705 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/12 Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Methods and systems described in this disclosure identify a driver of a vehicle. The driver may have a profile indicating vehicle settings, and at least one of the vehicle settings may not be overridden by the driver. The vehicle may be configured according to the vehicle settings in the profile, such that the vehicle may not operate outside of at least one of the vehicle settings that cannot be overridden. An insurance rate for insuring the vehicle may be generated based at least in part on the vehicle settings associated with the profile.

Claims

1. A configurable vehicle comprising:

a network of detectors configured to;

monitor vehicle operations relating to vehicle operational settings of the configurable vehicle, and

send vehicle operational information related to the vehicle operations to a configuration system; and

the configuration system comprising;

a memory,

a processor, and

a vehicle configuration module, running on the processor, to;

configure the configurable vehicle with the vehicle operational settings according to an identity of a driver, wherein the configurable vehicle is configured with at least one vehicle operational setting that cannot be overridden,

wherein the vehicle is covered by an insurance policy based at least in part on the vehicle operational settings,

wherein the driver is not a policyholder of the insurance policy,

process the vehicle operational information from the network of detectors,

prevent the driver from overriding the at least one vehicle operational setting that cannot be overridden, and

in response to detecting that the driver has overridden an over-rideable vehicle operational setting;

adjust insurance coverage in the insurance policy in real-time to reflect the override of the over-rideable vehicle operational setting, and

send a message to a device associated with the policyholder regarding the override of the over-rideable vehicle operational setting,

 

wherein the message includes an option for the policyholder to update the vehicle operational settings for the driver.

2. The configurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle operational settings includes at least one of a maximum number of passengers or a headlight status.

3. The configurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the insurance policy covering the configurable vehicle is priced according to the vehicle operational settings.

4. The configurable vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a driver identification system, running on the processor, to identify the driver.

5. The configurable vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a driver identification system, running on the processor, to:

collect identifying information from the driver,

send the identifying information to a server, and

receive the vehicle operational settings from the server.

6. The configurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle operational settings includes a maximum stereo volume.

7. The configurable vehicle of claim 6, wherein the vehicle configuration module further:

selects the maximum stereo volume by adjusting a stereo level; and

indicates a change in the insurance policy as the stereo level is adjusted.

8. The configurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle configuration module adjusts insurance rates in real-time to reflect an override of a second vehicle operational setting in response to detecting that the driver has overridden the second vehicle operational setting.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

configure a vehicle with vehicle operational settings according to an identity of a driver, wherein the vehicle is configured with at least one vehicle operational setting that cannot be overridden,

wherein the vehicle is covered by an insurance policy based at least in part on the vehicle operational settings,

wherein the driver is not a policyholder of the insurance policy,

process vehicle operational information received from a network of detectors,

prevent the driver from overriding the at least one vehicle operational setting that cannot be overridden; and

in response to detecting that the driver has overridden an over-rideable vehicle operational setting;

adjust insurance coverage in the insurance policy in real-time to reflect the override of the over-rideable vehicle operational setting, and

send a message to a device associated with the policyholder regarding the override of the over-rideable vehicle operational setting,

wherein the message includes an option for the policyholder to update the vehicle operational settings for the driver.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to compare the vehicle operational information with the vehicle operational settings to determine whether the vehicle operational settings are within a threshold of the over-rideable vehicle operational setting.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to notify the driver or a policyholder of the insurance policy covering the vehicle that the vehicle is operating within the threshold of the over-rideable vehicle operational setting.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein each driver of the vehicle has separate vehicle operational settings for the vehicle.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the vehicle operational settings includes a maximum number of passengers.

14. A method comprising:

identifying a driver of a vehicle, the driver having a profile indicating vehicle settings, wherein at least one of the vehicle settings cannot be overridden by the driver,

wherein the vehicle is covered by an insurance policy based at least in part on the vehicle settings,

wherein the driver is not a policyholder of the insurance policy;

configuring the vehicle according to the vehicle settings in the profile, wherein configuring the vehicle according to the vehicle settings comprises preventing the vehicle from operating outside of the at least one of the vehicle settings that cannot be overridden;

generating, by a processor, an insurance rate in an insurance policy for insuring the vehicle based at least in part on the vehicle settings in the profile; and

in response to detecting that the driver has overridden an over-rideable vehicle setting;

adjusting, by the processor, insurance coverage in the insurance policy in real-time to reflect the override of the over-rideable vehicle setting, and

sending a message to a device associated with the policyholder regarding the override of the over-rideable vehicle setting,

wherein the message includes an option for the policyholder to update the vehicle operational settings for the driver.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle settings include at least one of:

headlight status, maximum speed limit, maximum stereo volume, maximum temperature, maximum number of passengers, or geographical limitations.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle settings includes a maximum temperature inside the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle settings include at least one over-rideable vehicle setting, and wherein the method further comprises:

in response to detecting that the driver has overridden a second vehicle setting, adjusting the insurance rate in real-time to reflect the override of the second vehicle setting.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the driver of the vehicle comprises receiving, from the vehicle, biometric information collected from the driver.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein when the driver cannot be identified or does not have the profile:

assigning a default profile to the driver; and

configuring the vehicle with the vehicle settings in the default profile.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving the vehicle settings in the profile from the policyholder of the insurance policy via a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface displays configurable vehicle settings and insurance rates, wherein the insurance rates increase or decrease when the configurable vehicle settings are configured.