MEDFORD, Mass., Sept. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agero, Inc., a market leader in software-enabled driver assistance services for automotive manufacturers and insurance providers in North America, today announced Driver360^®, a holistic mobile solution that utilizes a smartphone’s native sensors to provide automatic crash detection, response and prevention, without the need for additional hardware. The Driver360 mobile software development kit (SDK) will be easily integrated into existing insurance providers’ and automotive manufacturers’ mobile apps. By replacing expensive embedded telematics systems with the consumer’s mobile phone, Driver360 brings crash services and driver behavior analysis mainstream.

Harnessing the power of mobile telematics and machine learning algorithms, Driver360 delivers a powerful and comprehensive mobile driver safety solution. The platform’s robust data science capability detects crashes and notifies Agero emergency contact centers in seconds, potentially shaving lifesaving minutes off emergency notification, while also enabling primary tows from the accident scene. Driver360 functionality also includes driver scoring and coaching to help prevent crashes by helping drivers improve their driving behaviors. Driver360’s core Trip Capture engine tracks and reports trip-level information that also can be used by insurers and automotive manufacturers to deliver additional safety and convenience features for users, such as teen monitoring, speed alerts or intelligent maintenance reminders.

“As the business to business leader in roadside assistance and accident management, we believe Agero has a unique ability – and therefore responsibility – to address the recent spike in accident fatalities following decades of steady decline,” said Christina DeRosa, Agero’s chief product and marketing officer. “When seconds matter, Driver360 can detect a crash and automatically notify our emergency contact centers in less than 30 seconds to seamlessly engage first responders along with primary tow and insurance carriers. We’ve been working toward this goal for two years, and we’re proud to say no other solution holistically combines the power of mobile telemetry and real-time emergency response services to address this critical need.”

Driver360’s crash detection and distracted driver machine learning algorithms combine data from extensive in-lab crash testing with natural consumer driving data collected from Agero’s nine-month MileUp^® mobile app research and development study. Launched as a crowdsourcing platform, MileUp captured over three billion miles of real-life crash and driving data through sensors available in a smartphone. This data, validated and verified against over 475 corresponding police reports, insurance claim submissions and accident photos, as well as video footage from the MIT Autonomous Vehicle Technology study, confirmed detection of over 95 percent of crashes where an airbag was deployed and 88 percent of accidents requiring a tow, evidencing reliable accuracy when it’s needed most to save lives.

With this level of functionality, Driver360 may be able to not only reduce crash risk and increase driver safety, but enable cost savings and improve the customer experience for insurance and automotive organizations. Driver360 crash detection can automatically trigger First Notice of Loss (FNOL), providing an opportunity for insurers and partners to obtain increased visibility into non-drivable events. Agero’s Accident Scene Management services, including primary tow, also helps to expedite the claims cycle and can result in hundreds of dollars in savings from storage, secondary tow, rental and other costs. Additionally, data automatically captured by Driver360, such as crash time, location, speed and more, enables crash reconstruction and other use cases in the claims process, while also supporting driver scoring for usage-based insurance (UBI) solutions at scale. Further, the platform can allow auto manufacturers to offer life-saving services to purchasers in older automobiles or those without embedded telematics systems to drive engagement and extend brand loyalty.

“Agero already protects almost one in three vehicles on the road today, processing over 12 million requests per year – including more than one million accident tows and 40,000 calls to 911 – helping insurers and automotive manufacturers safeguard drivers at scale,” added Christina DeRosa. “Driver360 now not only automates much of this process in the case of an accident, it also allows insurers to proactively coach drivers for improved safety, more accurately capture and assess risk data for UBI, and conveniently engage with drivers and their families through their main policyholder apps.”

Agero will be onsite at Connected Car Insurance USA 2018 in Chicago, Ill., September 5 and 6, at booth #17. Details on Agero’s informational sessions are available here and here.

For more information on Driver360, please contact an Agero sales representative.

About Agero
Agero’s mission is to safeguard consumers on the road through a unique combination of platform intelligence and human powered solutions, strengthening our clients’ relationships with their drivers.  We are a leading provider of driving solutions, including roadside assistance, accident management, consumer affairs and telematics. The company protects 115 million drivers in partnership with leading automobile manufacturers, insurance carriers and other diversified clients. Managing one of the largest national networks of service providers, Agero responds to more than 12 million requests annually for assistance. Agero, a member company of The Cross Country Group, is headquartered in Medford, Mass., with operations throughout North America. To learn more, visit www.agero.com and follow on Twitter  @AgeroNews.

Contact Information: Steve Smith 253.444.5477 ssmith@voxuspr.com