We had a similar issue with Progressive’s Snapshot—my wife left the car running while waiting for curbside pickup, and it logged it as a long trip. I get why they want the data, but sometimes the tech just doesn’t get real life. The photo method’s clunky, but at least you’re in control. I wish these companies would factor in stuff like idling or charging devices... feels like they’re missing the point sometimes.
That’s wild—had a similar thing happen with Allstate’s Drivewise. I sat in the car with the engine running while my kid finished soccer, and it counted as a 45-minute drive. It’s like, does the algorithm think I’m just circling the block for fun? Makes me wonder how much these systems actually “see” versus just crunching numbers. Has anyone tried one that actually distinguishes between driving and just sitting parked?
Yeah, that’s a huge flaw with these trackers. I used Progressive’s Snapshot for a while and it did the same thing—if the engine’s on, it thinks you’re driving. Doesn’t matter if you’re parked at the drive-thru or just waiting for someone. I don’t think any of them are smart enough to tell the difference yet. Honestly, it’s kinda annoying if you do a lot of waiting around in your car.
Honestly, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. Yeah, the trackers aren’t perfect, but most of the time you’re not sitting in your car for hours with the engine running, right? I’ve used Metromile for a couple years and the savings outweigh the annoyance for me. If you’re doing a ton of idling, maybe it’s not ideal, but for regular commuting it’s fine. The tech will get better eventually, but I’d rather save money now than wait for perfect tracking.
The tech will get better eventually, but I’d rather save money now than wait for perfect tracking.
That’s fair, but what about when the tracker glitches and logs a bunch of “phantom” miles? Happened to me with Allstate’s Drivewise—suddenly my bill shot up for no reason. Doesn’t that defeat the whole savings angle? Maybe I’m just unlucky, but it put me off these pay-per-mile things.