Tesla Safety Score Beta 2.1 is Here: What’s New

Tesla has announced an update to its Safety Score algorithm, version 2.1, for vehicles using its Tesla Insurance policy, aimed at fostering safer driving habits (via @Teslascope).

The update is grounded in the analysis of over 30 billion miles of driving data, refining the criteria to provide a more accurate assessment of future collision risks. This initiative is part of Tesla’s commitment to leveraging extensive driving data to enhance vehicle safety evaluations.

Tesla Insurance, powered by its Safety Score algorithm, is available in the following states:

• Arizona
• California*
• Colorado
• Illinois
• Maryland
• Minnesota
• Nevada
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia

*Tesla Real-Time Insurance is not available in California.

The transition to Safety Score Beta V2.1 introduces modifications in the calculation of Late Night Driving, now assessed between 11:00 PM and 4:00 AM, an hour adjustment from the previous assessment window. This update is designed to educate drivers on safety practices, emphasizing that it will not affect insurance premiums or availability.

The new version details several safety factors that impact the overall Safety Score, directly measured by Tesla vehicles through a variety of sensors and the Autopilot software:

• Forward Collision Warnings: These warnings are generated per 1,000 Non-Autopilot Miles to alert drivers of potential collisions, with a cap at 135.4 instances per 1,000 non-Autopilot miles.
• Hard Braking: Defined as backward acceleration over 0.3g, indicating a decrease in speed larger than 6.7 mph within one second. Hard braking events are factored into the Safety Score as a proportion of time the vehicle experiences significant deceleration.
• Aggressive Turning: This involves left/right acceleration over 0.4g, equivalent to a change in vehicle speed larger than 8.9 mph in one second. The measure assesses the proportion of time spent making aggressive turns.
• Unsafe Following: The calculation of the time a vehicle spends with a headway of less than 1.0 second when traveling at speeds over 50 mph, promoting safer following distances.
• Excessive Speeding: Measures the proportion of time spent driving over 85 mph as a percentage of total driving time.
• Late Night Driving: Adjusted to assess driving between 11 PM and 4 AM, with each hour weighted differently based on associated risk levels.
• Forced Autopilot Disengagement: Occurs when the Autopilot system is disengaged for the remainder of a trip after the driver fails to respond to audio and visual warnings, introduced into the Safety Score as a binary indicator.
• Unbuckled Driving: Tracks the proportion of time spent driving above 10 mph without fastening the driver’s seatbelt, with a cap set for inclusion in the Safety Score formula.

The update encourages Tesla drivers to adopt safer driving practices, such as maintaining adequate following distances, applying brakes early when needed, and avoiding excessive speeds, especially during late-night hours.

Tesla’s algorithm update marks a progressive step towards enhancing road safety through advanced data analytics, promising a more informed and safer driving experience for Tesla vehicle owners using Tesla Insurance. It would be cool if all Tesla vehicles could get a Safety Score, even if the Insurance program is not available in their area.