Driver Profiles Based Upon Driving Behavior With Passengers

Abstract

In a computer-implemented method for detecting and acting upon driver behavior while driving with passengers, telematics data is collected by one or more electronic subsystems of a vehicle and/or mobile electronic device of a driver or passenger. The collected data is transmitted to a computer system, and analyzed to identify respective time periods during which the driver of the vehicle drove with and without passengers, and one or more driving behaviors of the driver during those time periods. The method also includes determining, based upon the driving behavior(s) of the driver during the time periods with and without passengers, how the driver modifies his or her driving when driving with or without passengers, and conveying to an entity at least a portion of a driver profile associated with the driver that has been adjusted based upon how the driver modifies his or her driving.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for detecting and acting upon driver behavior while driving with passengers, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 collecting telematics data by one or both of (i) one or more electronic subsystems located on or in a vehicle and (ii) a mobile electronic device of a driver or a passenger in the vehicle, wherein collecting the telematics data includes collecting exterior sensor data by one or more sensors indicative of an environment external to the vehicle;   transmitting, by the one or more electronic subsystems or by the mobile electronic device, the telematics data to a computer system;   identifying, by analyzing the collected telematics data with one or more processors of the computer system, (i) one or more time periods during which the driver drove with one or more passengers, (ii) one or more other time periods during which the driver drove without passengers, (iii) one or more driving behaviors of the driver during the one or more time periods, and (iv) one or more driving behaviors of the driver during the one or more other time periods;   determining, by one or more processors of the computer system and based upon (i) the one or more driving behaviors of the driver during the one or more time periods and (ii) the one or more driving behaviors of the driver during the one or more other time periods, how the driver modifies his or her driving when driving with passengers as compared to when driving alone; and   conveying to an entity, by the one or more processors of the computer system via a network, at least a portion of a driver profile associated with the driver that has been adjusted based upon how the driver modifies his or her driving.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more driving behaviors of the driver include one or both of (a) distance between the vehicle and other vehicles, and (b) lane usage of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein analyzing the collected telematics data includes analyzing the collected external sensor data to identify a plurality of distances between the vehicle and other vehicles. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more driving behaviors of the driver include (a) distance between the vehicle and the other vehicles, and (b) lane usage of the vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising, based at least upon how the driver modifies his or her driving when driving with passengers, setting, by the one or more processors, at least the portion of the driver profile associated with the driver. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein collecting the telematics data includes collecting operational data indicative of how the driver operated the vehicle during the one or more time periods and how the driver operated the vehicle during the one or more other time periods. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , comprising:
 identifying at least one of the one or more driving behaviors by analyzing the operational data.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the entity is an entity that, based upon at least the portion of the driver profile, adjusts a credit rating associated with the driver. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the entity is an entity that reviews at least the portion of the driver profile in connection with a job sought by the driver. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the entity is an entity that, based upon at least the portion of the driver profile, offers a permanent or temporary credit in connection with a good or service offered by the entity. 
     
     
         11 . A system for detecting and acting upon driver behavior while driving with passengers, the system comprising:
 a device or subsystem that includes one or both of (i) one or more electronic subsystems located on or in a vehicle, and (ii) a mobile electronic device of a driver or a passenger of the vehicle, and is configured to
 collect telematics data, including external sensor data that is generated by one or more sensors and indicative of an environment external to the vehicle, and 
 transmit the telematics data to a computer system; and 
   the computer system, the computer system comprising one or more processors and a memory,   wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to
 identify, by analyzing the collected telematics data, (i) one or more time periods during which the driver of the vehicle drove with one or more passengers, (ii) one or more other time periods during which the driver drove without passengers, (iii) one or more driving behaviors of the driver during the one or more time periods, and (iv) one or more driving behaviors of the driver during the one or more other time periods, 
 determine, based upon (i) the one or more driving behaviors of the driver during the one or more time periods and (ii) the one or more driving behaviors of the driver during the one or more other time periods, how the driver modifies his or her driving when driving with passengers as compared to when driving alone, and 
 convey to an entity, via a network, at least a portion of a driver profile associated with the driver that has been adjusted based upon how the driver modifies his or her driving. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more driving behaviors of the driver include one or both of (a) distance between the vehicle and other vehicles, and (b) lane usage of the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein analyzing the collected telematics data includes analyzing the collected external sensor data to identify a plurality of distances between the vehicle and other vehicles. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more driving behaviors of the driver include (a) distance between the vehicle and the other vehicles, and (b) lane usage of the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the instruction further cause the computer system to, based at least upon how the driver modifies his or her driving when driving with passengers, set at least the portion of the driver profile associated with the driver. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein collecting the telematics data includes collecting operational data indicative of how the driver operated the vehicle during the one or more time periods and how the driver operated the vehicle during the one or more other time periods. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions cause the computer system to identify at least one of the one or more driving behaviors by analyzing the operational data. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the entity is an entity that, based upon at least the portion of the driver profile, adjusts a credit rating associated with the driver. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the entity is an entity that reviews at least the portion of the driver profile in connection with a job sought by the driver. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the entity is an entity that, based upon at least the portion of the driver profile, offers a permanent or temporary credit in connection with a good or service offered by the entity.