Dear LPG,

About two years ago I saw this TV advert (►►►) which worried me just a little. It involved a family who had downloaded an app which allowed them to find out who was the best driver.  “That looks like fun” was my first reaction, but then I thought a little further forward.  Is this the shape of things to come?

Can you remember when air disasters were reported on the news in the mid to late 20^th century?  We would hear about the black box recorder and the information that it would record to help with investigations.

My partner was a bus driver until he retired just over 8 years ago and the company he worked for had just started fitting these black boxes in the buses at that time.  The problem is that they can record how many times a driver breaks, corners and accelerates etc. but not the reasons why.  Drivers where he worked were being asked to explain why they over-used their breaks etc. weeks and even months after the dates concerned, and we all know that something new happens every time one drives from A to B.   All buses are also fitted with CCTV which would record a better account, except that, unless things have changed since then, frames of video are taken at two second intervals.  A lot can happen in two seconds that the camera misses. 

It occurred that if families can electronically compare and look at their driving skills, so can the rest of the world.  So for two years it was a family competition but then I saw this advert (►►►) … and so it starts… today this is a service offered by one or two insurance companies but how long before it is compulsory?

Will it really give a true record of the nation’s driving skills?  If insurance company’s plan to monitor all drivers perhaps the dash-cam will give a fairer view of what is going on.  But digital video takes up more space.  So the insurers will work with the cheaper option and doubtless the consumer will ultimately pay the price.  They appear to be targeting the younger driver but it will affect drivers of all ages. 

My feeling is that, regardless of age and at the moment, we still have a choice; but for how long?

UF, Welling

LPG found more opinions and information …  (►►►)