Would You Trade Privacy for Cheap Car Insurance?

Picture yourself in your car on a straightaway with no other vehicles in sight. Chances are, at one point or another, you’ve pushed the pedal to the metal to see what your daily driver is made of. But if your insurance agent was sitting in the passenger seat, you’d probably think twice about that spontaneous drag race, right?

That’s what Ford plans to do, at least in a digital sense. This week, Ford Motor Company announced two new car insurance programs — Ford Insure and Lincoln Motor Company Insure — in partnership with Nationwide that promise savings if you’re willing to hand over your driving data.

In essence, they’re asking drivers: are you willing to exchange privacy for a potentially cheaper bill?

Here’s how it works, according to Engadget:

If you have one of several 2020 Ford or Lincoln models … you can sign up for a policy that uses the vehicle’s built-in modem to track your driving habits and adjust your rates accordingly with each renewal. The technology tracks distance, your aggressiveness with pedals, idle time and night driving.

If you’re slamming on the gas and/or brakes? Nationwide will be watching, and you can expect your bill to increase. But if you fancy yourself a courteous, low-impact driver, the press release states that users could receive discounts up to 40 percent off the original rate once the policy is renewed.

The insurance program is currently available in 39 states via the FordPass or Lincoln Way apps, and on these models to begin with: 2020 Ford Explorer, Fusion, Mustang, Transit Connect, Escape, Edge, EcoSport, Expedition, F-Series Super Duty, Transit, Ranger and the upcoming 2021 F-150; and 2020 Lincoln Aviator, MKZ, Corsair, Nautilus and Navigator.

If we’re being honest, Amazon, Google and Facebook already have most of your data, might as well give Nationwide a little slice.

Subscribe here for our free daily newsletter.