There’s increasing use for all the advanced electronics we’re finding in today’s connected vehicles, it turns out. A case in point is a collaboration between Ford and State Farm insurance that could find Ford SYNC-equipped drivers potentially saving up to 40 percent on their car insurance.
The State Farm Drive Safe & Save insurance discount program offers this savings based on annual mileage, a growing trend in the auto insurance industry that offers lower rates to those who drive fewer miles, and thus offer less risk to insurers. In this case, the discount is based on vehicle odometer readings reported as a driver uses SYNC’s Vehicle Health Report, which became a standard feature with SYNC in 2009 and newer Ford vehicles
Drivers who enroll in the program will save about five percent on their premiums at first, with future savings determined every six months at a policy’s renewal date. About 10 percent savings is realized if a vehicle is driven the national average of 1,000 miles a month, with savings greater if considerably fewer miles are driven.
Ford SYNC, the industry’s leading in-car connectivity system, enhances safety by providing drivers the ability to voice command and control mobile devices like cell phones and MP3 players, allowing eyes to be kept on the road. SYNC also provides services like emergency calling through 911 Assist and the aforementioned Vehicle Health Report, a no-subscription feature that allows requesting diagnostic reports on vehicle performance and maintenance needs.
SYNC’s Vehicle Health Report is a good fit for the State Farm Drive Safe & Save program since it pulls odometer readings directly from a car’s engine computer, thus mileage reports are considered verified and enable qualifying for premium savings.