Connected Car Weekly: Auto Insurers and Fleets Use Telematics Data to Make Better Decisions

This week’s news about connected cars has to do with using data to save, spend or make money. For example, owners of Mitsubishi cars can now share data to save on auto insurance, and fleet managers are using data to boost the efficiency of their drivers and vehicles. Hertz, meanwhile, is planning to use digital tools to create a customer-first experience, and owners of Mercedes-Benz owners vehicles in Europe will soon be able to make in-car payments with fingerprint sensors.

Drivers May Save on Auto Insurance by Sharing Driving Behavior Data

Owners of Mitsubishi vehicles can now opt in to share telematics data from the Mitsubishi Road Assist+ app and potentially earn discounts on their auto insurance premiums.

This capability was announced on Thursday (Nov. 11) by LexisNexis Risk Solutions. The company will add the data to LexisNexis Telematics OnDemand and seamlessly integrate the telematics-based driving behavior data into auto insurers’ rating and underwriting workflows.

“As the automotive and auto insurance industries desire greater data sophistication and decision-making insights, telematics data is key to unlocking added value for the auto insurer, the automaker and ultimately their shared customer,” said Marc Gordan, head of global telematics product strategy and development for the U.S. Connected Car at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, said in a statement.

5G Wireless Tech Speeds up Fleet Management

When commercial drivers are on the job, many use mobile tech services not just for their phones, but also as part of a fleet management solution that helps coordinate everything from fuel and maintenance to scheduling, appointments, payments and more.

Read more: To Tame Supply Chain Challenges, Fleets Turn to Connected Vehicle Solutions

With the help and speed of its expanding 5G network, Verizon has become a major player in the market for connected vehicle solutions, where it continues to roll out services to meet the needs of new and different users.

“One of the key tenets of Verizon Connect is ‘innovation with purpose,’” Peter Mitchell, senior vice president and general manager of Verizon Connect, said in a statement.

Freightliner Offers Virtual Vehicle Subscription

Owners of Freightliner Cascadia big rigs can now equip them with their choice of software and apps using the new Virtual Vehicle subscription announced Tuesday (Nov. 9) by Freightliner’s parent company, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), and internet-of-things (IoT) company Platform Science.

Read more: Don’t Like Factory-Installed Apps and Software? Truck Maker Freightliner Says Bring Your Own

An open platform, Virtual Vehicle enables fleet owners to access telematics, software solutions, real-time vehicle data and third-party applications directly from their vehicle. It will be available as a monthly subscription.

“The system is seamlessly enabled in our trucks,” Sanjiv Khurana, head of the connected services group at Daimler Truck, said in a press release, “without the need for installing any additional telematics hardware, or the associated costs and loss of uptime.”

Hertz IPO Puts Consumer Technology in the Driver’s Seat

Car rental giant Hertz is continuing to move past its pandemic-driven bankruptcy with an upsized public offering and a slew of plans to remain a key player in what it calls the “modern mobility ecosystem.”

Read more: Aiming to Invest in New Technology, Hertz Announces Pricing of Upsized Public Offering

Hertz Global Holdings announced Tuesday (Nov. 9) the pricing of the upsized public offering of 45.2 million common shares at $29.00 each, up from 37.1 million shares announced Nov. 3.

Two weeks earlier, in an Oct. 28 press release announcing third-quarter results, Hertz’s interim CEO Mark Fields said, “We see the opportunity for profitable growth by building on our iconic brand and global fleet management expertise, and combining it with new technology and new investments in electrification, shared mobility and a digital, customer-first experience.”

Mercedes, Visa Connect Drivers to Wireless Payments

From spring 2022 onwards, Mercedes-Benz customers in the U.K. and Germany will be able to pay for goods and services by using their fingerprint in the car.

Read more: Daimler Mobility, Visa Partner to Enable In-Car Payments With Fingerprint Sensors

This ability to offer “native” in-car payments will come as a result of a new global technology partnership between Daimler Mobility — which together with Mercedes-Benz AG and Daimler Truck AG is one of the three business divisions of Daimler AG — and Visa. Other European markets are to follow.

“We are excited to bring to life a native solution for in-car payments for the first time, together with our partner Daimler Mobility,” Antony Cahill, deputy CEO and head of European markets at Visa in Europe, said in a press release.