Environmental stewardship based on driving behavior

Abstract

An approach for managing driving patterns is presented. A first distance measured at a first time between a first vehicle and a second vehicle in front of the first vehicle is received and stored in driving behavior data over a time period. The driving behavior data includes a second distance between the first vehicle and a third vehicle in front of the first vehicle measured at a second time. Based on the first and second distances, the number of times the first vehicle tailgated other vehicles within the period of time is determined. Based on the number of times the first vehicle tailgated within the period of time, an incentive is provided to a driver of the first vehicle to encourage the driver to drive without tailgating, or a disincentive is provided to the driver to deter the driver from tailgating.

1 . A method of managing driving patterns, the method comprising the steps of:
 a computer receiving a first distance between a first vehicle and a second vehicle immediately in front of the first vehicle, the first distance measured at a first time;   the computer storing the first distance as part of driving behavior data over a period of time including the first time and a second time, the second time prior to the first time, wherein the driving behavior data includes a second distance between the first vehicle and a third vehicle measured at the second time, the third vehicle having been immediately in front of the first vehicle at the second time;   based in part on the first and second distances, the computer determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time; and   based on how many times the first vehicle tailgated within the period of time, the computer providing an incentive to a driver of the first vehicle to encourage the driver to drive without tailgating, or a disincentive to the driver to deter the driver from tailgating.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 the computer detecting the first vehicle is present at a business; and   the computer initiating a provision by the business of a rebate or a reimbursement to the driver, wherein the step of providing the incentive includes the step of initiating the provision by the business of the rebate or the reimbursement to the driver.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of the computer determining a frequency of the first vehicle braking over the period of time, wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time is further based on the frequency of the first vehicle braking over the period of time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of the computer determining a frequency of the first vehicle accelerating over the period of time, wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time is further based on the frequency of the first vehicle accelerating over the period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of the computer determining an average speed of the first vehicle over the period of time, wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time is further based on the average speed of the first vehicle over the period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 the computer determining the first distance and the second distance are each less than a predefined threshold distance that indicates tailgating;   the computer receiving first contextual information that includes first aggregate distances between other vehicles in a first set of vehicles in a predefined proximity to the first vehicle at the first time, the first aggregate distances being dependent on road conditions and/or traffic conditions at the first time;   the computer receiving second contextual information that includes second aggregate distances between other vehicles in a second set of vehicles in the predefined proximity to the first vehicle at the second time, the second aggregate distances being dependent on road conditions and/or traffic conditions at the second time;   based in part on the received first contextual information including the first aggregate distances, the computer determining the first distance does not indicate the first vehicle tailgating at the first time; and   based in part on the received second contextual information including the second aggregate distances, the computer determining the second distance indicates the first vehicle tailgating at the second time,   wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time includes determining the first vehicle tailgating at the second time and determining the first vehicle did not tailgate at the first time.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computer retrieving a driving history of the driver from a public vehicle registration system or a private vehicle registration system, the retrieved driving history characterizing the driver as a habitual tailgater, wherein the step of the computer providing the incentive or the disincentive to the driver includes providing the disincentive and is further based on the retrieved driving history. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable program code in the computer, the program code being executed by a processor of the computer to implement the steps of receiving, storing, determining, and providing the incentive or the disincentive.   
     
     
         9 . A computer system comprising:
 a central processing unit (CPU);   a memory coupled to the CPU;   a computer-readable, tangible storage device coupled to the CPU, the storage device containing instructions that, when carried out by the CPU via the memory, implement a method of managing driving patterns, the method comprising:
 the computer system receiving a first distance between a first vehicle and a second vehicle immediately in front of the first vehicle, the first distance measured at a first time; 
 the computer system storing the first distance as part of driving behavior data over a period of time including the first time and a second time, the second time prior to the first time, wherein the driving behavior data includes a second distance between the first vehicle and a third vehicle measured at the second time, the third vehicle having been immediately in front of the first vehicle at the second time; 
 based in part on the first and second distances, the computer system determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time; and 
 based on how many times the first vehicle tailgated within the period of time, the computer system providing an incentive to a driver of the first vehicle to encourage the driver to drive without tailgating, or a disincentive to the driver to deter the driver from tailgating. 
   
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 the computer system detecting the first vehicle is present at a business; and   the computer system initiating a provision by the business of a rebate or a reimbursement to the driver, wherein the step of providing the incentive includes the step of initiating the provision by the business of the rebate or the reimbursement to the driver.   
     
     
         11 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises the step of the computer system determining a frequency of the first vehicle braking over the period of time, wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time is further based on the frequency of the first vehicle braking over the period of time. 
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises the step of the computer system determining a frequency of the first vehicle substantially accelerating over the period of time, wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time is further based on the frequency of the first vehicle substantially accelerating over the period of time. 
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises the step of the computer system determining an average speed of the first vehicle over the period of time, wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time is further based on the average speed of the first vehicle over the period of time. 
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 the computer system determining the first distance and the second distance are each less than a predefined threshold distance that indicates tailgating;   the computer system receiving first contextual information that includes first aggregate distances between other vehicles in a first set of vehicles in a predefined proximity to the first vehicle at the first time, the first aggregate distances being dependent on road conditions and/or traffic conditions at the first time;   the computer system receiving second contextual information that includes second aggregate distances between other vehicles in a second set of vehicles in the predefined proximity to the first vehicle at the second time, the second aggregate distances being dependent on road conditions and/or traffic conditions at the second time;   based in part on the received first contextual information including the first aggregate distances, the computer system determining the first distance does not indicate the first vehicle tailgating at the first time; and   based in part on the received second contextual information including the second aggregate distances, the computer system determining the second distance indicates the first vehicle tailgating at the second time,   wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time includes determining the first vehicle tailgating at the second time and determining the first vehicle did not tailgate at the first time.   
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising:
 a computer-readable, tangible storage device; and   computer-readable program instructions stored in the computer-readable, tangible storage device, the computer-readable program instructions, when carried out by a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer system, implement a method of managing driving patterns, the method comprising the steps of:
 the computer system receiving a first distance between a first vehicle and a second vehicle immediately in front of the first vehicle, the first distance measured at a first time; 
 the computer system storing the first distance as part of driving behavior data over a period of time including the first time and a second time, the second time prior to the first time, wherein the driving behavior data includes a second distance between the first vehicle and a third vehicle measured at the second time, the third vehicle having been immediately in front of the first vehicle at the second time; 
 based in part on the first and second distances, the computer system determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time; and 
 based on how many times the first vehicle tailgated within the period of time, the computer system providing an incentive to a driver of the first vehicle to encourage the driver to drive without tailgating, or a disincentive to the driver to deter the driver from tailgating. 
   
     
     
         16 . The program product of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 the computer system detecting the first vehicle is present at a business; and   the computer system initiating a provision by the business of a rebate or a reimbursement to the driver, wherein the step of providing the incentive includes the step of initiating the provision by the business of the rebate or the reimbursement to the driver.   
     
     
         17 . The program product of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises the step of the computer system determining a frequency of the first vehicle braking over the period of time, wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time is further based on the frequency of the first vehicle braking over the period of time. 
     
     
         18 . The program product of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises the step of the computer system determining a frequency of the first vehicle substantially accelerating over the period of time, wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time is further based on the frequency of the first vehicle substantially accelerating over the period of time. 
     
     
         19 . The program product of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises the step of the computer system determining an average speed of the first vehicle over the period of time, wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time is further based on the average speed of the first vehicle over the period of time. 
     
     
         20 . The program product of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 the computer system determining the first distance and the second distance are each less than a predefined threshold distance that indicates tailgating;   the computer system receiving first contextual information that includes first aggregate distances between other vehicles in a first set of vehicles in a predefined proximity to the first vehicle at the first time, the first aggregate distances being dependent on road conditions and/or traffic conditions at the first time;   the computer system receiving second contextual information that includes second aggregate distances between other vehicles in a second set of vehicles in the predefined proximity to the first vehicle at the second time, the second aggregate distances being dependent on road conditions and/or traffic conditions at the second time;   based in part on the received first contextual information including the first aggregate distances, the computer system determining the first distance does not indicate the first vehicle tailgating at the first time; and   based in part on the received second contextual information including the second aggregate distances, the computer system determining the second distance indicates the first vehicle tailgating at the second time,   wherein the step of determining how many times the first vehicle tailgated one or more other vehicles within the period of time includes determining the first vehicle tailgating at the second time and determining the first vehicle did not tailgate at the first time.