Determining a property of an insurance policy based on the autonomous features of a vehicle

• US 10,803,525 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2014
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Augustine, Suresh, Biemer, Edward A., Dugan, Dagmar, Field, Jennifer, Flodin, Laura
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Mike
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamerski, Bolko M
• Application Number:
  US14/458,796
• Time in Patent Office: 2,253 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for generating vehicle insurance rates based on driver-independent variables and/or driver-dependent variables. Vehicle insurance rates may additionally or alternatively be based on changes in the level of autonomy of vehicles. In some embodiments, a density of vehicles near a target vehicle may be tracked. Vehicle insurance rates may be determined based on the vehicle density. Furthermore, systems and methods are disclosed for analyzing a driver'"'"'s use of autonomous vehicle features and/or the driver'"'"'s maintenance of the autonomous vehicle. The driver may also be taught certain driving skills by enabling vehicle teaching features. The driver'"'"'s response to these teaching features may be monitored, and a reward or recommendation may be generated and provided to the driver based on the driver'"'"'s response.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending, by a driving analysis computing device, an instruction to a vehicle computing device of a vehicle to switch the vehicle from a currently engaged autonomous driving feature to a manual driving feature;

determining, by the driving analysis computing device, operational data of the vehicle operated under the manual driving feature after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature;

determining, by the driving analysis computing device, a value of a property of an insurance policy for the vehicle based on the operational data of the vehicle operated under the manual driving feature after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature;

determining a first mileage unit indicating a total distance traveled by the vehicle over a predetermined road-type when the vehicle was engaged in the currently engaged autonomous driving feature over a first period of time;

determining a second mileage unit indicating a total distance traveled by the vehicle over the predetermined road-type over the first period of time;

determining a ratio between the first mileage unit and the second mileage unit; and

adjusting, based on the ratio, the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle,

wherein the determining the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature comprises determining a history of response of a driver of the vehicle to the currently engaged autonomous driving feature being switched off over a second period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the property of the insurance policy comprises at least one of a premium, a deductible, a coverage term, and a coverage amount.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle comprises:

if the ratio is above a threshold value, applying a first value to the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle, and

if the ratio is below the threshold value, applying a second value to the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational data comprises one or more of an amount of time that the driver of the vehicle spends on manually getting the vehicle back up to a speed that the vehicle was traveling at before the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature, or an amount of time that the driver of the vehicle spends on manually parking the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle is based on the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature and a maintenance history for the vehicle, and

the maintenance history comprises the driver'"'"'s response time to a maintenance notification, wherein the maintenance notification comprises one or more of a check engine notification, an oil level notification, a low fuel notification, a software upgrade availability notification, a vehicle hardware, or a software hack notification.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle is based on the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature and use of an autonomous vehicle lane.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle is based on the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature and use of an autonomous parallel parking feature of the vehicle, and the method further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the use of the autonomous parallel parking feature of the vehicle meets an autonomous parallel parking threshold, reducing the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle.

8. A system comprising:

a vehicle computing device; and

a driving analysis computing device comprising;

a processor; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the driving analysis computing device to;

send an instruction to the vehicle computing device of a vehicle to switch from a currently engaged autonomous driving feature to a manual driving feature;

determine operational data of the vehicle operated under the manual driving feature after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature;

determine a value of a property of an insurance policy for the vehicle based on the operational data of the vehicle operated under the manual driving feature after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature;

determine a first mileage unit indicating a total distance traveled by the vehicle over a predetermined road-type when the vehicle was engaged in the currently engaged autonomous driving feature over a first period of time;

determine a second mileage unit indicating a total distance traveled by the vehicle over the predetermined road-type over the first period of time;

determine a ratio between the first mileage unit and the second mileage unit; and

adjust, based on the ratio, the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle,

wherein determining the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature comprises determining a history of response of a driver of the vehicle to the currently engaged autonomous driving feature being switched off over a second period of time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions that cause the driving analysis computing device to adjust the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle, when executed by the processor, further cause the driving analysis computing device to:

if the ratio is above a threshold value, apply a first value to the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle, and

if the ratio is below the threshold value, apply a second value to the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the determining the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle is based on the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous feature is switched off and a maintenance history for the vehicle, and

the maintenance history comprises the driver'"'"'s response time to a maintenance notification, wherein the maintenance notification comprises one or more of a check engine notification, an oil level notification, a low fuel notification, a software upgrade availability notification, a vehicle hardware, or a software hack notification.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the property of the insurance policy comprises an insurance quote for the vehicle, and wherein determining the value of the property of the insurance policy comprises determining the value of the insurance quote for the vehicle based on the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched off, and wherein the operational data indicates response of the driver of the vehicle to the currently engaged autonomous driving feature being switched off.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when read by a driving analysis computing device, cause the driving analysis computing device to:

send an instruction to a vehicle computing device of a vehicle to switch the vehicle from a currently engaged autonomous driving feature to a manual driving feature;

determine operational data of the vehicle operated under the manual driving feature after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature;

determine a value of a property of an insurance policy for the vehicle based on the operational data of the vehicle operated under the manual driving feature after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature;

determine a first mileage unit indicating a total distance traveled by the vehicle over a predetermined road-type when the vehicle was engaged in the currently engaged autonomous driving feature over a first period of time;

determine a second mileage unit indicating a total distance traveled by the vehicle over the predetermined road-type over the first period of time;

determine a ratio between the first mileage unit and the second mileage unit; and

adjust, based on the ratio, the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle,

wherein determining the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched to the manual driving feature comprises determining a history of response of a driver of the vehicle to the currently engaged autonomous driving feature being switched off over a second period of time.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the property of the insurance policy comprises at least one of a premium, a deductible, a coverage term, and a coverage amount.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the property of the insurance policy comprises an insurance quote for the vehicle, and wherein determining the value of the property of the insurance policy comprises determining the value of the insurance quote for the vehicle based on the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched off, and wherein the operational data indicates response of the driver of the vehicle to the currently engaged autonomous driving feature being switched off.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the determining the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle is based on the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched off and a maintenance history for the vehicle, and

the maintenance history comprises the driver'"'"'s response time to a maintenance notification, wherein the maintenance notification comprises one or more of a check engine notification, an oil level notification, a low fuel notification, a software upgrade availability notification, a vehicle hardware, or a software hack notification.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the maintenance history comprises at least one of a software upgrade to a computing device of the vehicle and a response to an unauthorized access to software of the computing device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the determining the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle is based on the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched off and use of an autonomous vehicle lane.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the determining the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle is based on the operational data of the vehicle after the currently engaged autonomous driving feature is switched off and use of an autonomous parallel parking feature of the vehicle, and the non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when read by the driving analysis computing device, further cause the driving analysis computing device to:

responsive to a determination that the use of the autonomous parallel parking feature of the vehicle meets an autonomous parallel parking threshold, reduce the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions that cause the driving analysis computing device to adjust the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle, when read by the driving analysis computing device, further cause the driving analysis computing device to:

if the ratio is above a threshold value, apply a first value to the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle, and

if the ratio is below the threshold value, apply a second value to the value of the property of the insurance policy for the vehicle.