Rat yourself out and save money on car insurance.
That's the selling point for palm-sized devices, often called "tattletales," that consumers can voluntarily install into a car's diagnostic port to track driving habits such as mileage, speed, time of day and braking intensity.
This month, State Farm Insurance is expanding the program so Minnesota drivers can buckle a technological Big Brother into the passenger seat and potentially pay lower rates. Progressive Insurance offers a similar option nationwide.
"It's a more accurate way to measure auto insurance risks so those customers who are lower risks pay lower rates," said Dick Luedke, a spokesman for State Farm.
The insurers say the devices give drivers control over their rates and encourage good habits. Others wonder if the measures used by the insurers accurately predict risk. One former Minnesota regulator is skeptical and worries about how insurers will use the data they collect.
"One policy-holder's discount is another man's surcharge for not using the device," said former state Attorney General Mike Hatch, who also is a former state Commerce Department commissioner. He questioned whether factors such as speed and mileage accurately reflect risk.
For example, he said a city driver stops more frequently than a rural one. But a rural driver might drive faster, Hatch said, adding that it's a narrow line between reasonable underwriting and red-lining.
Monitoring drivers
