For the past six months, I participated in Progressive’s Snapshot Discount program, using a device that plugs into your car to monitor driving habits via the OBD2 port. This review dives into my experience with Progressive Obd2 Snapshot, revealing the program’s mechanics, potential savings, and privacy implications to help you decide if it’s right for you.
When I first signed up for the Progressive Snapshot program, I didn’t fully grasp how this OBD2 device worked. After months of use, I’ve gained valuable insights that any driver considering a driving monitoring program should know.
UPDATE: Read my recent thoughts on Progressive Snapshot, a follow-up to this review.
Understanding Progressive OBD2 Snapshot
“Save up to 30 percent!” That’s the enticing claim from Progressive’s Snapshot Discount program, often advertised with the memorable character Flo. Intrigued by the potential savings, I decided to test it out. In the rush of purchasing insurance for my new 2014 Mustang, the promise of a discount was appealing, and I checked the Snapshot box without extensive research.
What’s the downside, I thought? Even a small discount seemed worthwhile. However, the program quickly raised questions about the value of my driving data and personal privacy. As you’ll see, the true value of this exchange might be surprising.
My initial week with the Progressive OBD2 Snapshot device was marked by frustration. However, the access to my driving data sparked my curiosity. Once enrolled, completing the program term is crucial to avoid potential rate increases based on limited data. To help you understand how the Progressive OBD2 Snapshot program operates, I’ll share the data it collected from my driving.
Ask any Snapshot user about their biggest annoyance, and you’ll likely hear about the “BEEP-BEEP-BEEP” sound. This audible alert signals a “hard brake” event, essentially reporting you to Progressive for decelerating too quickly.
What is the Progressive OBD2 Snapshot Device?
The Progressive Snapshot device is a compact module designed to connect to your car’s On-Board Diagnostics Type 2 (OBD-II) port. The OBD-II system is a standardized interface in modern vehicles, providing access to a wealth of vehicle data for diagnostics and monitoring. It taps into virtually every system in your car – engine, transmission, brakes, electronics – making it a comprehensive source of vehicle activity data.
Packed into its small size (approximately 2” x 3”), the Snapshot device is equipped with sophisticated electronics. It includes a memory chip, a cellular radio, and a GPS radio for location tracking. For a deeper dive into its technical specifications, you can inspect the patent. The Progressive OBD2 Snapshot device continuously transmits vehicle data to Progressive’s servers while you drive. My device uses a quad-band GSM module, aligning with Progressive’s partnership with AT&T for data services.
Progressive states on their website that they monitor vehicle speed but not location data. This is a deliberate choice, not a technical limitation. Like a smartphone connected to a cellular network, the device has location capabilities. The exact vehicle data tracked beyond speed remains undisclosed. Do they monitor RPMs or throttle position? While unclear, it’s technically feasible for them to access a wide range of OBD2 data.
Since I initially enrolled, Progressive has refined their guidance on who benefits most from the Snapshot program. Interestingly, this detailed information is exclusive to customers, accessible only after logging into their account portal. Their publicly available FAQs on the program present a more optimistic view.
Furthermore, the complete terms and conditions of the Snapshot Discount program are not readily available until you agree to participate. To save you the trouble of searching, here is a direct link to the Snapshot Terms & Conditions. Reviewing these terms is highly recommended before enrolling.
As part of the program agreement, users are warned against reverse-engineering, disassembling, or tampering with the device. While I adhered to this, it’s technically possible to analyze the data transmitted. Using tools like a Stingray scanner, one could potentially intercept cellular data transmissions. Alternatively, the open nature of the OBD-II protocol allows for monitoring data flow between the port and the device, employing a Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack technique. But that’s a topic for another time.
How Progressive OBD2 Snapshot Evaluates Your Driving
The Progressive OBD2 Snapshot device primarily focuses on two types of driving data to assess your driving behavior. The first is deceleration rate, specifically hard braking events. The second is the time of day you drive, determined when you start your car. Data logging begins as soon as the car starts, regardless of whether the vehicle is moving. (Once, while working on my car late at night, I started it briefly, and it registered as “driving” at 11 PM, considered a high-risk driving period.)
Interestingly, vehicle velocity and acceleration are not directly penalized. In theory, rapid acceleration wouldn’t negatively impact your score. However, rapid deceleration, or hard braking, will. It’s important to consider the issue of false positives in this system.
Consider how the device interprets tire spin. This isn’t just relevant for spirited driving; it affects anyone driving in icy, wet, or unpaved conditions. When tires lose traction and spin, they rotate faster than the vehicle’s actual speed. When traction is regained, they rapidly decelerate. The Snapshot device interprets this as abrupt braking, even if the brake pedal wasn’t applied. This is because the vehicle speed sensor is often located in the transmission, meaning spinning tires also spin the driveshaft, causing the speedometer to register speed even while stationary.
The Subjectivity of “Hard Braking”
Progressive defines a hard brake as any deceleration exceeding 7 miles per hour per second. This threshold can be triggered even without actively braking; coasting uphill to save fuel could potentially register as hard braking. While speed thresholds for triggering this are unclear, my experience suggests consistency across various speeds.
I believe the 7 MPH per second threshold is an overly simplistic metric that doesn’t account for diverse driving conditions and physics. It’s a fixed rule applied irrespective of factors like vehicle speed and road conditions. In urban driving environments, encountering “hard brakes” daily becomes almost unavoidable. After understanding this sensitivity, I consciously tried to limit deceleration to under 10 MPH per second, constantly monitoring my speedometer. This proved somewhat effective in reducing hard brake events.
My rationale for questioning the 7 MPH per second (approximately 10.27 feet per second) threshold as an accurate measure of “safe” driving is supported by considering typical driving scenarios:
- Decelerating from 75 MPH (110 feet per second) to 25 MPH (36.67 feet per second) requires at least 7.1 seconds to stay within the 7 MPH/second limit.
- Coming to a complete stop from 75 MPH (110 feet per second) necessitates a minimum of 11 seconds of deceleration.
- Slowing to a stop from 45 MPH (66 feet per second), such as when making a left turn, requires 6.4 seconds to avoid exceeding the threshold.
These examples highlight that safe deceleration time is heavily dependent on initial speed. The critical factor is maintaining adequate distance from potential hazards. Urban environments present more frequent but often less severe hazards compared to highways, where threats can be less predictable and higher impact (like rush hour traffic).
The counterargument is that maintaining sufficient following distance allows drivers to brake more gradually, staying within the Snapshot’s parameters while driving safely. However, in real-world driving, adhering strictly to this might mean missing turns or reacting less decisively in unexpected situations. On the other hand, the program may subtly encourage drivers to be more proactive and aware of road conditions, leading to smoother braking.
This leads to the question of manipulating the system to your advantage.
How to Potentially Benefit from the Progressive OBD2 System
Knowing the data points the Progressive OBD2 Snapshot tracks and the challenges of avoiding penalties, you might consider strategies to “game” the system. As the saying goes, “don’t hate the player, hate the game,” or in this case, play it strategically.
Progressive’s discount is based on hard brakes, nighttime driving, and total miles driven. Increasing mileage is the most easily controlled factor to potentially improve your discount. The ratio of hard brakes to miles driven seems to be a key metric in their discount calculation.
Essentially, you can either modify your braking habits to minimize hard brakes, or you can increase your mileage to dilute the impact of occasional hard brakes on your overall data.
Potential Downsides: Using Snapshot Data Against You
Enrolling in the Snapshot program also allows Progressive to use the collected data against you in the event of an insurance claim. While this may not be a major concern for most, it’s important to recognize that you’re granting your insurer access to data that could negatively affect your claim outcome or future premiums. For example, if you were speeding at the time of an accident, this data could be used to weaken your defense. Conversely, the data could also support your claim if you were driving safely.
The intent is likely to reduce fraudulent claims and fairly assign responsibility. However, if involved in an at-fault accident, one might be tempted to remove the Snapshot device to prevent the other party from requesting this data. This data is primarily intended for your use and your insurance company.
However, the data can also be beneficial. In a notable case, a man in Cleveland was exonerated of murder charges because Progressive Snapshot data proved his location and driving behavior were inconsistent with the crime. innocent of murder
Snapshot as a Driving Behavior Modification Tool
After six months of using Progressive OBD2 Snapshot, I concluded that its most significant impact is increasing driver awareness of their vehicle dynamics, driving conditions, and braking technique. It took about two months to consciously adjust my driving habits.
And it worked. After this period, I no longer consciously worried about triggering the hard brake alert because my driving style had naturally adapted to smoother deceleration. While I occasionally accelerated through yellow lights when safe, the hesitation and abrupt braking moments became less frequent.
The device’s audible feedback reinforces behavior modification. The annoying beep acts as a negative stimulus, while the discount serves as a positive reinforcement. It’s a form of Pavlovian conditioning applied to driving.
My Progressive OBD2 Snapshot Savings: A Disappointing Reality
In my first month, the Snapshot program considered me a “terrible” driver. Progressive uses a 30-day probationary period to assess driving behavior and set the initial discount for the remaining five months.
My first month’s discount? A mere one percent, or $5.46. That was the initial monetary value of my driving data and privacy. After the full six-month period, my discount increased to 12 percent, about $96. However, closer inspection revealed a less straightforward picture.
Did I truly “save” $96? Reviewing my Declarations pages uncovered a different story.
My insurance rates increased. It’s unclear if this was directly caused by the Snapshot data, but Progressive quietly raised my base premiums while applying the Snapshot discount. While premium increases can stem from various factors, the timing was concerning. Typically, as a car depreciates, insurance premiums should decrease, but Progressive’s rates moved in the opposite direction. See for yourself:
Original Premiums with Progressive ($741)
Six-month Renewal Premiums with Progressive ($836)
As suspected, Progressive increased my premiums by $95, almost exactly offsetting my $96 discount. While I receive other discounts, this increase applied to my base policy premium. Therefore, the net value of my privacy, in this case, was approximately one dollar for six months, or about 16 cents per month.
In conclusion, with Progressive OBD2 Snapshot, you might get a superficial discount, but it could be offset by an increase in your base premium upon renewal.
Understanding Progressive OBD2 Snapshot Data Reports
Progressive provides customers with reports on their driving data through their website. These reports, not typically shown in marketing materials, offer insights into your driving habits as tracked by the Snapshot program.
Discounts from the Snapshot Program:
Weekly Trip Averages Report (Comparing weekly performance to overall average): Note: Data for the final seven days is unavailable due to program completion.
Daily Trip Details Log (Final week of Snapshot)
Daily Trip Details Log (First Week of Snapshot)
Trip Detail Report (Example: Driving from Tucson to Phoenix)
Key Insights from Progressive OBD2 Snapshot Data
Progressive provides the data but offers limited interpretation or context. It’s up to users and underwriters to analyze its significance. I exported my data and performed some basic analysis in Excel, focusing on the six-month period from January to June.
Key Findings:
- Driving behavior improved noticeably after roughly 70 days.
- Hard brake events could be statistically offset by accumulating more “good” miles.
- A shift from city to highway commuting reduced hard braking incidents.
- I achieved an 11% discount by the end of the six-month term.
Hard Brakes (Aggregated)
Mileage
Trips
Hard Brake to Mileage Ratio
What caused the spike in hard brakes on February 4th? That was when I was experimenting with burnouts and figuring out how to disable traction control on my 2014 Mustang. 😉
Final Thoughts on Progressive OBD2 Snapshot
The initial 30 days with Progressive OBD2 Snapshot are undeniably challenging, at least they were for me. Knowing the specific impact of each hard brake event from the outset would have encouraged even more proactive adjustments. Now, armed with this understanding, adapting to driving monitoring devices becomes more manageable.
One major concern persists: Currently, these programs are voluntary. Progressive and State Farm offer incentives for participation. However, the value of this driving data likely far exceeds the offered discounts. There’s a valid concern that these monitoring devices could become mandatory in the future, penalizing drivers who opt out.
For privacy advocates, this system raises serious questions. Amidst ongoing debates about government surveillance and data privacy, programs like Snapshot provide another avenue for data collection. Law enforcement agencies, armed with subpoenas, could potentially access vehicle location and driving data from Progressive and AT&T. Furthermore, local law enforcement utilizes technologies like Stingrays to monitor cellular traffic without direct user consent. (Remember, the Snapshot device includes a cellular modem and SIM card. Review the patent for details).
Overall, the Progressive OBD2 Snapshot program achieved its stated goal: it made me a more conscious and safer driver. While I have reservations about certain aspects, particularly regarding transparency and data usage, the program, in its current iteration, is still evolving.
What improvements could Progressive implement? Providing drivers with comparative performance data against others in their state and vehicle category would be valuable. Nest employs this approach, allowing users to benchmark energy consumption. Such comparisons leverage human psychology to encourage and reward positive behavior. Progressive possesses the data; they should utilize it to better educate and engage customers. Greater transparency regarding the types of data collected, retention policies, and data security measures would also be highly appreciated, even in technical detail.
If you are a consistently cautious driver, primarily drive at lower speeds, avoid aggressive maneuvers, and mainly drive in favorable conditions, then Progressive OBD2 Snapshot could be beneficial. Otherwise, the potential privacy trade-offs might outweigh the minimal, and possibly illusory, financial benefits.
UPDATE (2018): Read my recent thoughts on Progressive Snapshot, for a more recent perspective on this program.
Photo credit: robertnelson
