Hughes Telematics In-Drive device

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mcochris

Active member
Joined
Jan 27, 2012
Messages
41
Location
Winter Park FL
State Farm auto insurance has a "Drive Safe & Save" program that enables users with In-Drive, OnStar or Sync to get an insurance discount. In-Drive is a device made by Hughes Telematics that probably plugs into the ODB port and sends driving info to State Farm. The only tech info I could find is In-Drive "piggy-backing onto the Controller Area Network (CAN-bus)." I've heard that the Leaf's ODB port may not work with ODB devices designed for ICE cars. Does anyone know if the In-Drive device works on a 2012 Leaf?

http://www.in-drive.com/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/automotive/hughes-telematics-device3.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.in-drive.com/sf/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
mcochris said:
State Farm auto insurance has a "Drive Safe & Save" program that enables users with In-Drive, OnStar or Sync to get an insurance discount. In-Drive is a device made by Hughes Telematics that probably plugs into the ODB port and sends driving info to State Farm. The only tech info I could find is In-Drive "piggy-backing onto the Controller Area Network (CAN-bus)." I've heard that the Leaf's ODB port may not work with ODB devices designed for ICE cars. Does anyone know if the In-Drive device works on a 2012 Leaf?

http://www.in-drive.com/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/automotive/hughes-telematics-device3.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.in-drive.com/sf/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have no idea, and neither did my State Farm agent when I brought it up - they suggested I call the number in the brochure or that I sign up for the program and install their device in my car.

In the end I decided to forgo this option. Yes, they say they won't used the data to change the rate on your insurance policies, but given that I have several teen drivers I didn't want to risk it.
 
I got mine recently and installed it, it just plugs into the ODB port. I called the service center and they say it's working (they are receiving the signal) but I won't be able to login to their website that shows the data until 30 days have passed. The device also comes with a visor clip, but that's for premium services and is not required for the ODB port device.
 
I've had ours in our 2012 SL for about 2-3 months. State Farm/In-Drive says it is working, though the mileage it's reporting on my dashboard is far too low. And, not surprisingly, it doesn't have any data on my gas mileage, though it says I should be getting 99-108 or something. :)

I did a bit of digging, and found a PDF on their site that says the device isn't compatible with 2011-2013 Nissan LEAFs. My guess is that's why my reported mileage is buggy. Strange that they still send them to us...
 
What is the monthly (or yearly) monitoring fee?

How does the device communicate wilh them,
and how often?

Perhaps it stores some data for about a month,
and then "phones home" to transfer the data...
about once a month?

Any idea what data they monitor from a normal ICE vehicle.
 
garygid said:
What is the monthly (or yearly) monitoring fee?
Free for the first 12 months, $5.99/mo after that. The service includes stolen vehicle assistance, but no details are provided.

garygid said:
How does the device communicate wilh them, and how often?

Perhaps it stores some data for about a month, and then "phones home" to transfer the data... about once a month?
Not sure, the installation booklet says "most diagnostic information will be available immediately online. Your MPG information will be available after a full month of driving data has been collected"

garygid said:
Any idea what data they monitor from a normal ICE vehicle.
The call center operator told me speed, acceleration, turns (right turn are better than left turns), milage, MPG, maintenance reminders (?).



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Well, if they are using it to compute rates, that is not a bad thing!

Psyclonus said:
I've had ours in our 2012 SL for about 2-3 months. State Farm/In-Drive says it is working, though the mileage it's reporting on my dashboard is far too low.
 
TomT said:
Well, if they are using it to compute rates, that is not a bad thing!

Psyclonus said:
I've had ours in our 2012 SL for about 2-3 months. State Farm/In-Drive says it is working, though the mileage it's reporting on my dashboard is far too low.
Except if they look at things such as "The call center operator told me ... turns (right turn are better than left turns)", that doesn't really apply to us, or even hybrids at this point, since the engine doesn't run when waiting to turn left. So it sounds like you would be paying extra because the device/service isn't analyzing the vehicle properly.
 
The right turn recommendation might also be for accident reasons... Far more accidents happen during left turns than right turns...

lion said:
Except if they look at things such as "The call center operator told me ... turns (right turn are better than left turns)", that doesn't really apply to us, or even hybrids at this point, since the engine doesn't run when waiting to turn left. So it sounds like you would be paying extra because the device/service isn't analyzing the vehicle properly.
 
TomT said:
The right turn recommendation might also be for accident reasons... Far more accidents happen during left turns than right turns...
Yes, that was the implication from State Farm. OTOH, I don't think State Farm or Hughes knows/cares about the particulars of the Leaf.
 
I have one in our ICE car as well, and the mileage is reported accurately there, so it's not a "timing" issue as far as I can tell. MPG is the only thing that you have to wait to be updated on their site. I believe the letter grades assigned to acceleration, braking, and turns are determined through the use of the built-in accelerometer in the Hughes device. I know the time of day you drive also is included, as it's much more dangerous driving at 3:00 a.m. than at 3:00 p.m.

If my mileage stays as low as it looks right now, it will indeed earn a large discount. You can change your ratings and mileage in the discount calculator on the dashboard and see what consequences they have.
 
It's been a year with In-Drive device and State Farm calls me up last week to tell me the device is incompatible with the Leaf and there's no replacement device available the works with the Leaf. I'm not surprised. They let me keep the default discount I'd accumulated, but I'm out of the program now. That's too bad, I think I would have earned a big discount based on my low mileage and duration.
 
Possibly, we could reprogram the device to be compatible with the LEAF.

If somebody makes the technical contacts, and finds the device "creator" willing
to offer upgraded firmware, we could offer to provide helpful information.

We need a list of the variables obtained from the car, as opposed to a time
of day clock that might be in the monitor device itself, and how often these
values are needed.

Cheers, Gary
 
Just curious here and I hope you all don't flame me... but why would anyone ever intentionally do this?
Is the discount actually worth your driving habits, travels and activity being monitored?
To me this is just another step for losing our freedoms.
Bad enough the Leaf does this for prerequisite use of Car-wings as it is.
 
Flashman said:
Just curious here and I hope you all don't flame me... but why would anyone ever intentionally do this?
Is the discount actually worth your driving habits, travels and activity being monitored?
To me this is just another step for losing our freedoms.
Bad enough the Leaf does this for prerequisite use of Car-wings as it is.

It depends. I am doing a 90 day one for Liberty Mutual and after that it comes out and I get my discount which will be about 20% which is fairly significant for taking it easy for 3 months. Also it has less to do with monitoring and more to do with pricing the risk more accurately. If you are a good driver and don't put a lot of miles on a year etc you are paying more than you should because that cannot be verified and you are just lumped into a bucket with everyone else like you.
 
We all no why this does not work on the LEAF, come on guys. Regardless if you live in a city with many one way streets you are discriminated against for left turns that do not cross traffic:)
 
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