• fart_pickle@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Here’s a “funny” story. Back in the day I was working (IT) for insurance companies. I’ve pitched an idea to one of the larges companies about a device connected to an OBD port to track a driver’s habits and adjust premiums based on that. I was turned down, but I heard from an unofficial source that the company was already testing such a device. That was 15 years ago.

      • fart_pickle@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        It’s rude to judge a person on the basis of a vague description of an idea. My idea was to collect the driver’s data (harsh breaking, rapid acceleration, previous history, etc.) and set the premiums accordingly. Someone who drove carefully would pay less and someone who drove recklessly would pay more. Keep in mind, this was back when Google was still a “don’t be evil” company and it was before the days of surveillance capitalism.

        • Glytch@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          Keep in mind, this was back when Google was still a “don’t be evil” company and it was before the days of surveillance capitalism.

          So you were an innovator in surveillance capitalism. I think that might be why the person you replied to said you have questionable ethics. I share this opinion.

        • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          If Google existed, surveillance capitalism did as well. It’s what they were founded on, they just had good PR back then

    • azenyr@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      So you were the “horse armor DLC” of car insurance companies. Congratulations

    • PirateJesus@lemmy.todayOP
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      6 months ago

      Here’s a “funny” story. Back in the day I was working (IT) for insurance companies. I’ve pitched an idea to one of the larges companies about a device connected to an OBD port to track a driver’s habits and adjust premiums based on that. I was turned down, but I heard from an unofficial source that the company was already testing such a device. That was 15 years ago.

      Privacy regulations? They don’t know how to handle all the data? They realized they’d have to triple rates based on the actual data they were receiving?

    • MadBigote@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Seat have me a OBD device as a “gift” for my new vehicle back in 2021, and supervised me installing their app. The car has an option to opt out of sending data to SEAT via my phone too. Totally not sketchy.