Tesla makes a change to the Safety Score, introducing a new measure for frequent excessive speeding
Tesla's Evolving Safety Score System: Encouraging Safer Driving
Tesla's Safety Score system, introduced in 2021, is a tool designed to promote safer driving behaviors among its owners. The system measures five key driving metrics: Forward Collision Warnings per 1,000 Miles, Hard Braking per 1,000 Miles, Aggressive Turning per 1,000 Miles, Unsafe Following Distance, and Forced Autopilot Disengagements, as well as Unbuckled Driving and Late-Night Driving, which were added later.
One of the most significant updates to the Safety Score system came with the introduction of the Excessive Speeding metric in version 2.2, aimed at better capturing reckless driving behaviors. Excessive Speeding tracks instances where the vehicle exceeds speed limits by a significant margin for a prolonged period. This addition helps Tesla identify drivers who habitually drive at dangerously high speeds, influencing their overall score more heavily than before.
The Excessive Speeding metric is defined as the proportion of time a vehicle is driven at speeds exceeding 85 mph (137km/h), or more than 20% faster than the car directly ahead, if that vehicle is traveling over 25 mph (40km/h) and within 100 meters. Notably, speeding that occurs while using Autopilot/FSD is still excluded from the calculation of the Safety Score.
Tesla has also refined other metrics, such as Unbuckled Driving and Late-Night Driving. Initially, seatbelt usage was not explicitly tracked as a Safety Score metric, but later versions incorporated it given its critical role in occupant safety. Tesla has also modified the way late-night driving impacts the score, balancing risk appropriately without overly penalizing necessary travel during non-peak hours.
The Safety Score system continues to undergo revisions, with version 2.0, released in March 2024, adding Unbuckled Driving and an updated Late-Night Driving calculation. Elon Musk has stated that he plans to make the Safety Score system available to all Tesla owners for informational purposes, although it is currently only available to Tesla owners signed up with Tesla Insurance in the U.S.
However, it's important to note that the Safety Score does not influence monthly premiums in California. The Safety Score system is also not currently available to all Tesla owners, despite Musk's statement. It was briefly available to Canadians when it was a prerequisite to gaining access to FSD when it first launched north of the border.
The Safety Score system, which evaluates driver behavior using real-time telemetry, adds a new layer of accountability for drivers using the system. It is designed to encourage improved driving habits and enhance overall road safety, especially as Tesla expands Safety Score use for features like insurance pricing and beta access to advanced driver assistance features.
For detailed Tesla documentation or release notes on each update, those are typically available through Tesla's official channels or community forums discussing the Safety Score since the system's 2021 launch.
The Safety Score system, as it continues to evolve, may potentially impact the insurance pricing for Tesla owners in the future. Given that the system now tracks metrics like excessive speeding and unbuckled driving, it's plausible that safer driving habits could lead to lower insurance premiums within the automotive industry, coinciding with the growth of technology in transportation and finance. Furthermore, the refinement of metrics such as unbuckled driving and late-night driving suggests a broader financial implication, as safer driving behaviors could translate into less claimed expenses for insurance companies.
