Systems and methods for insurance based upon status of vehicle software

Abstract

A vehicle may be configured to determine a characteristic of a software program operating on the vehicle. The characteristic may be provided to an insurer, and the insurer may determine a property of an insurance policy based on the characteristic. The characteristic may be, for example, a feature, a setting, and/or a version of the software program. The insurer may indicate to a vehicle operator and/or owner how changing the characteristic may affect the property of the insurance policy. The insurance policy may be formalized and agreed to by the insurer and/or the insured. The vehicle may also or instead save pre-collision status data, such adjustable parameters, internal variables, dynamic decisions, and/or identification of a software program, when a collision is detected. The pre-collision status data may be used to diagnose problems with the software program, determine fault, and/or determine future properties of insurance policies.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 providing, via a communication interface, an alert to a driver of a vehicle indicating how modifying a setting of a software program operating on a computer system of the vehicle will affect a property of an insurance policy;   receiving, via the communication interface, historical information pertaining to modification by the driver of the setting of the software program; and   determining, using a processor, an adjustment to the property of the insurance policy based, at least in part, on the historical information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying a setting comprises enabling or disabling a feature the software program. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying a setting comprising disabling a feature of the software program. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying a setting comprises enabling a feature of the software program in response to an external condition. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the external condition comprises a road condition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the feature comprises a collision avoidance system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the collision avoidance system comprises an automatic driving system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the feature comprises a vehicle performance governing feature. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the performance governing feature governs a maximum speed of the vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the performance governing feature governs a maximum acceleration of the vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the feature comprises a driver impairment detection feature. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the insurance policy comprises a vehicle insurance policy. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring the setting of the software program during vehicle operation; and   dynamically adjusting the property of the insurance policy in response to modification of the setting of the software program.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein monitoring the setting of the software program comprises receiving real-time information pertaining to the setting of the software program during vehicle operation via a communication network. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the alert comprises an audio alert. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alert comprises a haptic alert. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alert comprises a visual alert. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the visual alert is displayed on a display interface of the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the visual alert is displayed on a mobile device of the driver. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the historical information comprises a comparison of vehicle operating time during which the setting of the software program was active to vehicle operating time during which the setting of the software program was inactive. 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 communication interface an alert to a driver of a vehicle indicating how modifying a setting of a software program operating on a computer system of the vehicle will affect a property of an insurance policy;   a processor to receive, via the communication interface, historical information pertaining to modification by the driver of the setting of the software program and determining an adjustment to the property of the insurance policy based, at least in part, on the historical information.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein modifying a setting comprises enabling or disabling a feature the software program. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein modifying a setting comprising disabling a feature of the software program. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein modifying a setting comprises enabling a feature of the software program in response to an external condition. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the external condition comprises a road condition. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the feature comprises a collision avoidance system. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the collision avoidance system comprises an automatic driving system. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the feature comprises a vehicle performance governing feature. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the performance governing feature governs a maximum speed of the vehicle. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the performance governing feature governs a maximum acceleration of the vehicle. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the feature comprises a driver impairment detection feature. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the insurance policy comprises a vehicle insurance policy. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the processor monitors the setting of the software program during vehicle operation and dynamically adjusts the property of the insurance policy in response to modification of the setting of the software program. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the processor receives receiving real-time information pertaining to the setting of the software program during vehicle operation via a communication network. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the alert comprises an audio alert. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the alert comprises a haptic alert. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the alert comprises a visual alert. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the visual alert is displayed on a display interface of the vehicle. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the visual alert is displayed on a mobile device of the driver. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the historical information comprises a comparison of vehicle operating time during which the setting of the software program was active to vehicle operating time during which the setting of the software program was inactive.