Available to owners of eligible Honda and Acura models who have ever enrolled in a complimentary trial or subscribed to any AcuraLink® or HondaLink® package, Driver Feedback can provide vehicle sensor-based driving scores designed to encourage better, more fuel-efficient driving techniques. Driver Feedback can equip drivers with insights into behind-the-wheel behaviors that have proven correlation with insurance claims, including crash occurrences. With the customer’s consent to participate in this program, vehicle data is shared with Verisk, a global leader in risk intelligence and data analytics for the insurance industry, which analyzes the data and provides detailed feedback through the app along with an overall Driving Score. According to Verisk’s analysis of driving behaviors and insurance risk, the lowest scoring drivers are seven times more likely to be involved in a crash or have an insurance claim than those with the highest scores.
Over a longer period, drivers who have opted-in to the Driver Feedback feature may receive score-based offers for insurance discounts through the AcuraLink® or HondaLink® app. Participation in Driver Feedback is optional at all times, and no specific vehicle or personal information is shared with any third parties, including insurance providers, without authorization from the subscriber.
Eligible Acura Models
| Year | Model | Trims |
| 2019-present | RDX | All |
| 2020 | ILX | Technology Package and above |
| 2020 | TLX | Technology Package and above |
| 2020 | RLX | Technology Package and above |
| 2020 | MDX | Technology Package and above |
Eligible Honda Models
| Year | Model | Trims |
| 2018-present | Accord | Touring |
| 2018-present | Odyssey | Touring, Elite |
| 2019-present | Insight | Touring |
| 2019-present | Passport | Touring, Elite |
| 2019-present | Pilot | Touring, Elite, Black Edition |
Driver Feedback is designed to educate Honda and Acura owners on ways to improve their driving and encourage greater fuel efficiency. The Driving Score has five components, which, according to Verisk, are among the leading predictive factors of risk: Smooth Driving, Speed Responsibility, Consistent Driving, Driving Time and Time Behind the Wheel. These components are used to produce individualized feedback based upon individual driving patterns to improve users’ driving. More than just generic recommendations, these draw upon insurance industry loss data and are designed to promote positive behavior change by focusing on controllable aspects of the driving experience.
- Smooth Driving: Smooth accelerations and gentle braking can indicate a decreased risk of being involved in a crash or having an insurance claim. The Smooth Driving score measures how much driving is done without hard acceleration and hard braking at low, medium and high speeds. Less aggressive driving with smoother acceleration and braking could improve this component score. Smooth driving could also help drivers reduce their impact on the environment and save money on fuel. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes on its website that “aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by roughly 15 to 30 percent at highway speeds and 10 to 40 percent in stop-and-go traffic.”
- Speed Responsibility: According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “driving too fast for conditions or in excess of posted speed limits or racing” is the number one cause of fatal crashes. To improve this score, a driver could avoid speeds in excess of 80 MPH, for example. Driving at lower speeds can also help save fuel according to the EPA. The EPA website states that “while each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 50 mph is like paying an additional $0.15 per gallon for gas.”
- Consistent Driving: Drivers who regularly commute at the same time are less likely to experience a crash. The Consistent Driving score is calculated by measuring the consistency of repeated driving patterns. To improve this score, a driver could attempt to have a more consistent commuting time.
- Driving Time: The Driving Time score is calculated by evaluating the various times of day the vehicle is driven. To improve this score, a driver could try to avoid or minimize driving during risky hours such as at night and early morning. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of fatal crashes is four times higher at night than during the day.
- Time Behind the Wheel: The Time Behind the Wheel score evaluates the amount of time spent driving and the duration of each trip. According to Verisk, there is a strong correlation between time behind-the-wheel and the average likelihood of being involved in a crash.
After approximately three months of driving, participants with higher Driving Scores may receive a prompt through the AcuraLink® or HondaLink® app alerting them that their driving has made them eligible for an automobile insurance discount with participating insurance companies. These include Nationwide Insurance, a leading provider of automobile insurance in the United States, that may present insurance discount offers to participating Honda and Acura drivers in 42 U.S. states. The subscriber can then choose to share their driving data with selected insurers to receive specific insurance quotes. No personal or vehicle data will be sent to an insurer without the participant’s specific prior authorization.
About AcuraLink® and HondaLink®
AcuraLink® and HondaLink® offer app-based connected vehicle services designed to enhance the ownership experience in certain Acura and Honda vehicles. F