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Boston launches real-life driving game - where the object is to not drive like a Masshole
By adamg on Mon, 10/03/2016 - 12:34pm
Boston, an insurance company and a software maker today announced Boston's Safest Driver Competition - a phone app that you run while driving that lets you rack up points in a competition to win prizes by driving safely.
The app, announced today by Mayor Walsh, the Arbella Insurance Foundation and Cambridge Mobile Telematics, an MIT spinoff that makes software for tracking the performance of fleet vehicles, is available in both Android and iOS formats. Up to $9,000 in prizes will be awarded through
The app uses sensors in modern phones to track how users are driving:
The app, developed by Cambridge Mobile Telematics, provides feedback to drivers on five metrics for each trip they take: rapid acceleration, harsh braking, sharp turns, at-risk speeding, and phone distraction. The app logs trips while in the background on the user's phone, and the driver is alerted afterwards of their score for that trip, told how they did on the different factors, and provided with helpful tips to improve in the future.
The app includes a standings board; prizes will be awarded for both overall leaders and most improved driving. It's part of the city's Vision Zero initiative to reduce car-related deaths.
This is Boston's second in-car app. Streetbumpt is an iOS app that uses phone sensors to detect potholes and report them to the city.
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Comments
Curious how it will track "phone distraction"
Does it track app usage? Turning on screen? How long their eyes are off the road?
Saw someone today with TWO phones in their hands as they drove next to me. One hand half on the wheel/half holding one phone, the other hand merrily texting away on the other phone.
Oh but I saw several cyclists run a red light this morning, so that invalidates my anecdote.
No kidding
I'd hate to think of what would happen if the cyclist hit someone. I hope that "Boston" app comes with a mode where you can easily a photo of them while driving.
/sarcasm
Bring it on, fellow Bostonians
I assure you that I will try my hardest, and that I will absolutely, positively, lose.
How to fix a large percentage of driving incidents in MA
USE YOUR DAMN TURN SIGNAL APPROPRIATELY
What's that clicking noise?
use your turn signal. just that. I would be surprised if any boston drivers know where it is.
a better solution
discourage cars by increasing the gas tax and have congestion pricing and add more bike lanes.
cars ruin cities and lower the quality of life in Boston.
- The Original SoBo Yuppie
I'm sorry, they want people
I'm sorry, they want people to start up an app in their car to prove how safe they are driving to win some award? How long before the first person gets pulled over for using this app while driving?
You have it all wrong
If they get pulled over they just need to show the officer the app to prove they are a good driver.
If you get pulled over for using this app ...
You really have some major issues!
It's one of those things you turn on and it runs in the background.
I'm an Arbella customer
Can't wait until they make this app mandatory and raise my rates every time I need to accelerate to merge into traffic or stop short for somebody making a Boston left.
Or just swerve to avoid a child who ran in front of you
But soon it won't be an app. Your car will just narc on you.
Just like your TV spies on you.
No kidding
I got in a crash with an Arbella customer (which was totally my fault and I readily admit it) and they never returned my calls...or my insurance company's calls...to this day I have no idea if the lady ever filed a claim against me!
tangent
I was on an mbta bus during the month long blizzard of '15, and we rear ended a cab. I was very impressed that the driver stood up and made eyecontact with every customer asking if they were ok. Meanwhile, the cab sped off!
You shouldn't need to stop short
If you see somebody signal the Boston left and make an aggressive lurch on the crossing yellow, don't be a douche and explode out of the box, let them bang the turn.