6 Technology Advancements for Cars That Could Lower Your Insurance Rates

Posted on Feb 2 2017 - 6:57am by Editor

Owning a car is already quite costly. When you factor in insurance rates — the average American spends more than $1,000 a year on it — the cost is even greater. However, if you own an older car, you may find yourself paying even more for insurance. By upgrading your vehicle to one that has some of today’s technological advancements, you could make your morning commute safer and save money on insurance along the way.

Technology Advancements for Cars

Pedestrian Detection

Although Mercedes-Benz has offered night vision systems that detect pedestrians since 2005, they are still a newer technology for other types of vehicles. When a pedestrian is near your car, its monitor will show you how close he or she is and the direction he or she is moving. As the pedestrian gets closer to your car, your monitor will show a warning light and, if equipped, a display on your windshield. The added safety not only creates less work for an insurance company due to a lack of accidents, but may also help to save lives.

Driver Capability

Some of today’s cars can alert a driver when his or her driving has deviated from normal patterns, which could indicate too much alcohol or being too tired to be behind the wheel. It works by monitoring how a driver normally performs behind the wheel and using that as a baseline to determine if he or she may be experiencing difficulty. When abnormal changes in speed, pedal use, lateral acceleration, or several other factors occur, the driver receives visual and audible notification. Driver capability also factors in external problems such as bad road surfaces or crosswinds.

Rear-Mounted Radar

How many times have you heard of someone backing out of a crowded parking lot and running into another car? Although it doesn’t often result in injury, this common accident can still cause noticeable damage to your car, thereby creating the possibility of higher insurance rates. Rear-mounted radar helps to prevent parking lot accidents and has been around for a while now. However, newer versions have better capabilities and now searches the road behind your vehicle for approaching traffic as well. If anything approaches while you are backing up, you’ll hear an alarm. Some manufacturers also include visual notification on your mirrors.

GPS Tracking

Purchasing a GPS tracking system for your vehicle is quite simple these days. After paying about $500 for the tracker, you then pay about $40 per month for the subscription service that updates you on your car’s location every few seconds. You can even move your GPS tracker between cars if you regularly drive more than one. In addition to providing extra security in case your vehicle is stolen, it will tell you if the driver exceeds a certain speed or enters off-limit areas. As GPA tracking advances, insurance companies may look at is as extra security and factor it into policy prices.

Parental Controls

If you have teenagers who drive, you probably already know what that does to your insurance rates. Most companies give discounts if your kids are good students, but you may also receive a discount if your car has parental controls. These systems not only limit the car’s speed, but can also limit the radio’s volume or cause continuous alarms when passengers aren’t wearing seat belts.

High-Beam Control

How many times have you been blinded by an approaching vehicle’s high beams? Some new vehicles are coming equipped with automatic high-beam control that will change the strength of your headlines based on approaching traffic. A rearview mirror-mounted camera keeps track of oncoming traffic as well as those traveling in the same direction that you approach. When necessary, it turns your high beams down. This not only protects you from the distraction of changing your headlight settings, but also keeps you from accidentally blinding another driver and potentially causing an accident.

Technology and Your Insurance

While many insurance agencies already offer discounts, if you are driving a car that is more than a decade old, you simply don’t have enough new technology to qualify for all discounts. If and when you purchase a newer vehicle and seek out better insurance rates, a company such as www.carinsurancecheap.net can help you find the right policy to meet your needs.

Of course, great insurance rates aren’t just about technology. Even if you have all the above, you must still be diligent on the road. Pay attention to your surroundings and never drive when you are impaired. Doing so protects you, your finances and other people on the road.