J.D. Power and Motorq have announced an alliance to provide the automotive industry with “insights based on connected vehicle data.” The first product from the alliance will measure real-world electric vehicle (EV) battery health. Using data provided by the electric vehicle itself, in collaboration with the manufacturers, J.D. Power and Motorq* said they will provide EV owners and potential buyers with an independent measurement of the health of that vehicle’s EV battery, compared with its stated health when new. Individual vehicles that achieve a pre-specified score will receive a J.D. Power validation that will give potential buyers “confidence in the health of the EV battery.”
Yes, your vehicle will be monitored. Clearly, privacy issues arise and will have to be worked out. J.D. Power and Motorq, a connected vehicle analytics firm, will use thousands of measurements from the vehicle taken over time to assess how an individual EV battery is performing. The two companies are in discussions with vehicle manufacturers and other industry participants to bring empirical EV battery health to the market. Continue reading
Friends, Families Can Change Distracted Driving Behaviors
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A new study released today from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety posits that safety officials should concentrate on leveraging friendships and family ties to inspire change, making drivers more aware of how serious a threat distraction represents and offering solutions to the common barriers that prevent them from simply ignoring their phones.
“It may come as a surprise, but many drivers still don’t realize how dangerous it is to check a text message or glance at their Instagram feed while they’re zipping along the road,” said IIHS Research Associate Aimee Cox, the lead author of the study. Continue reading →