The technology uses smartphones to measure the speed, location, vibration and weather on roads
Bell is exploring road condition-monitoring technology for cities and insurance companies, The Logic has learned.
Bell has applied for two patents in the U.S. and Canada, which are “a result of ongoing research into IoT [Internet of Things] applications as part of our focus on innovative Smart City solutions,” said company spokesperson Marc Choma. “Insurance companies may also be interested in using road condition information to adjust insurance rates,” read the applications. “For example, a driver that consistently drives on a road that has numerous potholes may be more at risk of sustaining damage to their vehicle than a driver who drives on a road without potholes.”
Parts of Bell’s smart-city division cover areas similar to those outlined in the patent applications. The telecom has a “fleet management” department, which provides tech solutions for trucking companies using telematics systems, which track metrics like a vehicle’s location, acceleration and braking. These new applications suggest vehicle telematics would be combined with smartphone-collected data.
“Some insurance companies are already asking customers to download apps so they can monitor their behaviour in-car,” said Farooq. “Bell is looking to collect more types of data than most of these apps, so if they can get the tech right, they’ll have more accurate information and be able to offer more precise services.”
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