MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — New AI technology in development could help put parents’ minds at ease when their teens hit the roads, especially during the “100 Most Dangerous Days of Summer” from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Insulify, which works with many insurance companies across the country, is working to develop “the safest car of the future” to keep teen drivers safe, said Chase Gardner, the company’s data insights manager. The technology hasn’t been shown publicly yet, but it could include features like virtual reality driver education, a smart driving companion and mindful co-pilot.
Gardner said people considered part of Gen Z, which includes those born between 1997 and 2012, pay the most for car insurance due to their age and lack of experience on the road, and new technology could help bring those costs down.
“[これは間違いなく若いドライバーに最も大きな影響を与える可能性があります]”In theory it could be helpful for anyone, but especially for drivers who are just starting out. It could be a great way to get experience and get hours on the road or the equivalent without actually being on the road or getting into a real risky situation,” Gardner said.[It definitely could have the biggest impact on young drivers]Gardner said, “In theory it could be helpful for anyone but particularly drivers who are just starting out It could be an awesome way to get experience and get hours on the road or the equivalent without actually having to be on the road and putting themselves in real risky situations”[Itdefinitelycouldhavethebiggestimpactonyoungdrivers”Gardnersaid“IntheoryitcouldbehelpfulforanyonebutparticularlydriverswhoarejuststartingoutItcouldbeanawesomewaytogetexperienceandgethoursontheroadorthatequivalentwithoutactuallyhavingtobeontheroadandputtingthemselvesinrealriskysituations”
Car safety and technology have come a long way over the past century, with safety features like seat belts, airbags, flashing turn signals, etc. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts alone saved nearly 400,000 lives between 1975 and 2017.
“Over the past few years, auto insurance costs have skyrocketed in the U.S., hitting Gen Z and teenagers especially hard,” Gardner said. “For 2023, Insurify found that auto insurance rates have risen 24% in just one year and are on pace to continue to rise in 2024.”
In response to skyrocketing insurance rates and teen road fatalities, Insurify tasked its chatbot GPT-4 with developing “the safest car of the future.”
“This would really help young drivers practice driving in situations that might be very stressful or dangerous for them for the first time, like heavy traffic or crowded city streets,” Gardner said. “So giving them that opportunity would be a big boost and a big benefit to the technology.”
To achieve this with AI, the company fed GPT-4 with research from trusted sources like Forbes and Interesting Engineering to help make the concept vehicle as safe as possible, and Gardner said he hopes to see this technology featured in many new cars in the future.
“Maybe this could be a little more customized for teen drivers and maybe it could become an optional extra on a lot of models,” he said. “If you’re older, you might not need it as much as someone with teenage kids or someone who’s just starting to drive.”
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Hannah Huffstickler is a multimedia journalist for News13. She graduated from Coastal Carolina University in December 2023 and joined the News13 team in January 2024. Keep up with Hannah on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. You can also see more of her work here.
