No more traffic casualties by 2050, according to one of Interpolis’ sustainability goals. The company sees a hero’s role for the mobile phone in this. This combats traffic hazards with the help of smart apps, which Pipple develops together with them.
Devising application possibilities
Distraction from phone calls and texts is a notorious cause of accidents. Eliminating this temptation was therefore at the top of the to-do list of Yvette Melis’ innovation team; Domain lead Secure Mobility at Interpolis. They silenced the phone in the car and on the bike with the AutoMode and PhoNo apps.
With the development of these apps, new potential arose, Melis explains. “We now have our own platform that people carry with them. Moreover, we can ask users for access to data that tells something about their traffic behaviour.”
Driving style algorithm for tailor-made interventions
Melis asked Pipple to think along with her team about the application possibilities this offers. It led to the development of a driving style score for motorists, based on a driving style algorithm. This project is now in the final testing phase. Melis: “With the score we give the user insight into the actual risks he runs in traffic. This enables us to offer him tailor-made interventions.”
The score is made up of two types of variables that are weighed against each other in the algorithm. One type concerns actual conduct. Data about this, such as the driving speed, how h3ly he brakes and accelerates, the distance to the oncoming vehicle, whether the driver calls or texts and how long he is behind the wheel, come from the driver’s phone. The other type of variables is about the conditions in which someone drives around. Traffic rules, traffic, the type of road and the weather conditions, for example.
Business goal first
The fact that the collaboration with Pipple was immediately continued in a subsequent project was only logical for Melis. “We just really enjoy working with them. Their data scientists do not strive for perfection, but put the business goal first. That’s what you need when you innovate. When developing an MVP, cost-benefit considerations are the order of the day.”
For Interpolis, Pipple is not just a supplier, but an innovation partner, says Melis. “Mutual trust is high. If we agree on something verbally, they will immediately start working with us. That formal contract will be forthcoming, they know. And fortunately, they don’t send me weekly budget statements either.” In the background, Pipple is definitely tight on process and relationship, she notices. “They regularly offer to optimize the planning. Or they ask if I still see room for improvement. I like that.”
Melis also appreciates that Pipple effortlessly bounces along with the uncertainty inherent in innovation. “The duration, scale and route of our projects can hardly be estimated in advance. After each partial delivery, we take stock again: will we continue with the project? We have also cut our budget in this way. Pipple understands and accepts that. We can offer them one certainty: if extra data expertise is needed, we call them.”
