Tesla owners are 50% less likely to crash their EV than their other cars

electrek.co/2022/05/27/tesla-owners-less-likely-crash-than-their-other-cars

Probably reported in another (non UK) forum, but thought it might be of passing interest to Brits

"Tesla owners who also drive another vehicle are 50% less likely to have an accident in their Tesla compared to in their other vehicles, according to an interesting new study looking at EV drivers who drive multiple vehicles.

The study is coming from Cambridge Mobile Telematics, which collects telematics data from millions of vehicles.

At the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Charging Into an Electrified Future Conference this week, the group released findings from a study of how behaviors and safety change for electric vehicle drivers when they drive their EVs compared to any other vehicle.

Interestingly, EV drivers are much less likely to crash in their EV than in their other vehicles, but there’s a big discrepancy between brands.

For example, the study found that Tesla owners are about 50% less likely to crash their EV than any other vehicle they operate while it’s the opposite for Porsche EV owners."

Featured Image Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.

 

[Adopado]

I image most Escorts are driven carefully these days given most have classic status

 

[Xdama]

Yeah, always struck me as odd to refer to it as HV. Different field, different terminology, I guess.

Although I can see that referring to the traction battery as the "low voltage" battery would be confusing, too

I think the point is that traditonally almost everything in a car is ELV and considered safe, so you need a term that will warn people that dangerous voltages are present in EVs - and "low voltage" just doesn't cut it.

Maybe but in UK we only have LV & HV unlike in the EU where they have an MV too lol. The Elctricity at Work Regs are for all electrical work, cars are no exception. I used to be a vehicle electrician in the forces and had to adhere to them then too

 

[Overworked]

...

For example, the study found that Tesla owners are about 50% less likely to crash their EV than any other vehicle they operate while it’s the opposite for Porsche EV owners."

That is not an accurate report of what the study actually said! Electrek added the "Porsche EV" themselves.

It compared those who drove a Tesla EV with when they drove another vehicle. It then contrasted it to those who drove a Porsche with when they drove another vehicle. Not when they drove a Porsche EV and another vehicle!

It said:
“Among the most compelling new findings are the comparisons between drivers who operate both an electric vehicle and an internal combustion vehicle, allowing for a better understanding of risk across vehicle platforms,” said Ryan McMahon, VP of Strategy for CMT. “These findings include an analysis of Tesla drivers who also operate another vehicle. These drivers are nearly 50% less likely to crash while driving their Tesla than any other vehicle they operate. We conducted the same analysis on individuals who operate a Porsche and another vehicle. In this case, we observed the opposite effect. Porsche drivers are 55% more likely to crash while driving their Porsche compared to their other vehicle.”

Full original article here:

Cambridge Mobile Telematics Research into Electric Vehicle Risk Unveils Key Insights into Changes in Road Safety in an EV Future - Cambridge Mobile Telematics

Cambridge, MA, May 24, 2022 — Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), the world’s largest telematics service provider, will share its new research findings into driving risk for electric, hybrid, and traditional vehicles in a keynote today at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Charging Into...

www.cmtelematics.com

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

I find it hard to believe to be honest, and as a data person I’d love to see the workings behind the headlines. I’ve seen Teslas safety scores been put into new light based on road types, driver demographics etc. 50% swings are pretty substantial.

If it’s true it’s hard to explain why but good news if so. Maybe it’s the thought of a 6 month wait for a repair

 

[WllXM]

I find it hard to believe to be honest, and as a data person I’d love to see the workings behind the headlines. I’ve seen Teslas safety scores been put into new light based on road types, driver demographics etc. 50% swings are pretty substantial.

If it’s true it’s hard to explain why but good news if so. Maybe it’s the thought of a 6 month wait for a repair

And insurance premiums suggest otherwise too

 

[SageBrush]

There is absolutely no reason at all that the “HV” on a Tesla should have to be completely isolated for a small dent on external bodywork. Unless they’re admitting they don’t fit properly insulated electrical systems.

Part of that tangential story of high costs for Tesla repairs is related to the use of aluminium

 

[SageBrush]

How did Cambridge get the data ?
How was cause determined ?

 

[Xdama]

Part of that tangential story of high costs for Tesla repairs is related to the use of aluminium

My previous BMW was aluminium too so that doesn’t wash, sorry. The quote I received was mostly labour costs to isolate the “HV”, the actual repair was around £300 iirc.

 

[delta0]

And insurance premiums suggest otherwise too

For insurance quotes I’m getting for an M3P seem a lot lower than other much lower power sports cars that I’ve had in the past. I think the power is the main thing that contributes to the premium with these as it’s usually young drivers that get pummelled when they try to get a quote.

 

[MarkThisDay]

Sentry mode should help in those situations…

Sentry mode isn't working at the moment

 

[Wattsisname]

In my humble, the vandalism is based on jealously and a kind of subliminal fear of the new. Before the eighties, convertibles were quite rare in the UK.
Then came the BMW centre bar convertible.
A friend of mine had three hood replacements due to stabbing and slashing before things settled down.

Soon, there was the Escort, and many other major brand ragtops available. They ceased to inflame the destructive passions of the vandalising S.O.Bs; they became normalised. In the nineties I bought a pimped up fat wheeled 2.5 V6 Saab convertible from AFN (because it was roomier than the BMW). The only hood attack came from the trees nearby; left to its own devices the hood would have gone from Blue to, literally, moss green.

I found @WanabeOwners information on Tesla safety encouraging from the insurance angle. However, it seems that any premium benefit will be negated by the high cost of repair and the prevalence of malicious damage.

I have yet to own a car in London that has not suffered stupidity damage in supermarket car parks (particularly Waitrose never Lidl). The last time, the careless but decent person involved left a note and phone number. They were very contrite and arranged for a mobile repairer to paint the damaged area.

Footnote: The repairer knew the driver well and said that his business could not stand the hit if they ceased sending him a steady supply of work - I love it!

 

[WannabeOwner]

it seems that any premium benefit will be negated by the high cost of repair

Will be interesting as Tesla move into Insurance (only currently in N.A. I think??) ... they will know both the accident rate, and the cost of repair ... that may reveal some interesting data about current insurance ... and might fix the long lead time for parts too!

 

[WllXM]

Will be interesting as Tesla move into Insurance (only currently in N.A. I think??) ... they will know both the accident rate, and the cost of repair ... that may reveal some interesting data about current insurance ... and might fix the long lead time for parts too!

They would run the largest blackbox insurance provider... I would be very wary about privacy issues and how telematics are shared between legitimate car diagnostics and driver profiling for premium calculations...

 

[Wattsisname]

Will be interesting as Tesla move into Insurance (only currently in N.A. I think??) ... they will know both the accident rate, and the cost of repair ... that may reveal some interesting data about current insurance ... and might fix the long lead time for parts too!

Indeed! Although, I wonder if they are the underlying underwriters. I used BMW insurance for my motorcycle a few years ago. It was underwriten by a different company every couple of years and became more expensive than the market (and I don't mean the meerkat ).

 

[Wattsisname]

They would run the largest blackbox insurance provider... I would be very wary about privacy issues and how telematics are shared between legitimate car diagnostics and driver profiling for premium calculations...

I have nothing to fear with my 21 years NCB

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

The blackbox is an interesting argument - they score drivers in the US before they let them have the latest FSD, which is a bit of an irony considering the drivers that drive well are the ones allowed to use software that does the driving for them, so you'd have thought the reverse logic would be most benefiicial giving the rubbish drivers the option to not drive (it will certainly be the case when its mature).

In some respects, if you take the utopian view of ultra safe roads and no accidents then you'd think a black box would play its part, there's no hiding from it, but there are absolute <insert derogative term> in this world, they won't care about the black box as they happily drive around without a licence and insurance today, its just the otherwise law obiding drivers who become transfixed with the speedo in fear of being blamed done for doing 44 in a 40 limit.

But I'm still thinking "50%... that can't be right without some other factor going on". If it was based on miles driven, and the "other car" was a shed used for local trips, lots of urban driving, relatively small knocks, and the Tesla was a high mileage cruiser up and down the freeways/interstate roads in the US with mile after mile of uneventful and low stress driving, then I'd imagine it could be true. More data needed to understand.

 

[Overworked]

They would run the largest blackbox insurance provider... I would be very wary about privacy issues and how telematics are shared between legitimate car diagnostics and driver profiling for premium calculations...

We are probably all aware of how much data Tesla has about us, our driving style, and every aspect of every journey that we make because we are driving a computer with wheels cameras and sensors that is constantly connected back to Tesla HQ, so we are effectively driving inside the "black box". It is no surprise then that they are able to quote on insurance in a much more accurate and efficient way than any other insurer. The only comparable current example is that of the driver who now volunteers to have a black box fitted to their ICE vehicle.

If you have serious privacy issues, then the Tesla is not for you and a 20 year old ICE vehicle is needed. But you would have to dispose of your mobile phone too, as that is a beacon broadcasting your speed acceleration and location.

 

[WllXM]

We are probably all aware of how much data Tesla has about us, our driving style, and every aspect of every journey that we make because we are driving a computer with wheels cameras and sensors that is constantly connected back to Tesla HQ, so we are effectively driving inside the "black box". It is no surprise then that they are able to quote on insurance in a much more accurate and efficient way than any other insurer. The only comparable current example is that of the driver who now volunteers to have a black box fitted to their ICE vehicle.

If you have serious privacy issues, then the Tesla is not for you and a 20 year old ICE vehicle is needed. But you would have to dispose of your mobile phone too, as that is a beacon broadcasting your speed acceleration and location.

It's not about just tinfoil privacy, I've come to fully accept this (even if car diagnostics data should only be aggregated and anonymised by Tesla HQ to comply with GDPR standards in EU/UK).
It's about reusing data they came to obtain through one product they sold me (a car) to try to sell me a different product through profiling (insurance).

This is why there must be an absolute Chinese wall between the car manufacturer & the insurance provider.

I'm sure they could come up with innovative pricing, why not have variable premiums on a day to day basis, like supercharger rates. You get in the car and on the screen appears "There are a lot of people on the road right now, so today its a £10 insurance surcharge to drive, by switching to D you hereby accept those rates". Or linked to the weather? "Met yellow warning today, £15 surcharge if you want to drive ".... Looks like a bright future...

Because, with this reasoning, would you be perfectly happy if Apple was venturing into life insurance tomorrow, given they have your patterns of steps walked, heart & other vitals through your Watch, spending habits through Wallet on your phone, and medical records through email?...

 

[Jason71]

I’m not surprised by the Taycan - we had one take out a neighbour’s wall last June. Made a right mess. Driver said the car was faulty, but it looked like it was going at some speed judging by the damage.

could probably have been worse:

 

[WannabeOwner]

could probably have been worse:

I thought Porsche drivers were supposed to be more likely to have an accident when IN their other car, not WITH their other car !