[Drivingforfun]

Has anyone heard of this device, or used one or anything similar?

I’ve signed up to get one free in exchange for my data. An organisation wants to study driving habits of an age group I fall into. It sounds like a black box without the downsides. It measures driving habits but doesn’t punish for what it sees as bad driving like a black box does.

I consider myself a safe driver but will always consider advice for improvement. I won’t necessarily obey the device’s advice as I have heard of similar devices chastising drivers for accelerating in the name of safety - e.g. while overtaking or up a slip road. That said, I am interested to see what it says about my driving, especially when it comes to fuel consumption, as that has a tangible impact (on my wallet).

At the end of the day, I can stop using it after day 1 if I want to; but if it helps me spend less money and drive more smoothly and safely that has to be good.

[Santa]

I'll be interested to hear what happens

[Marc]

That sounds v interesting @Drivingforfun
Aside from the data (which I assume they'll share with you) what else do you get from taking part? (Not that anything is needed of course, I'm just curious!)

[Drivingforfun]

Marc, I have to download an app on my phone which gives me feedback after each drive and apparently tells me how to improve fuel economy among other things. Not sure how good it will be yet but I am happy to give it a go!

[Drivingforfun]

Well it arrived today and I had a play. I scored 100% for "Attention", 100% for "Respect", and 0% for "Driving Style".

Surely even the worst driver in the world would score more than 0%? I was stuck behind a driver doing 45mph with no opportunity to pass for quite a while, so was pootling along very steadily with hardly any braking and no hard acceleration...I am guessing there is a fault somewhere or that it needs more data before it can report.

Additionally, annoyingly, I parked up in a carpark, turned the engine off, then got my phone out and it punished me for "phone usage while driving" and dropped my "Respect" score to 95%.

Not impressed but going to leave it there for a bit and see if it gets any better. It's not doing any harm.😀

[giuseppe32]

This aftermarket driving data tracker you'll be testing as part of a research study could provide some interesting insights. Getting granular feedback on real-world fuel efficiency, braking, acceleration and other driving habits allows optimizing areas for improvement. I appreciate you recognizing both the potential benefits but also being cautiously skeptical if recommendations seem impractical or unsafe.

These telematics devices can vary widely in accuracy and utility. But approached with an open mind yet critical eye, you may discover some helpful pointers. I'm curious to hear what quantified metrics on smoothness, acceleration profiles, etc ultimately suggest after trying it firsthand. Just take any hardcore diagnostics with a grain of salt. In the end, rely first on your own well-honed instincts behind the wheel - you know your real-world needs best. But consider the device's output additional educational food for thought rather than gospel. Look forward to hearing your experience with data-driven driving guidance! geometry dash