Video: GM and OnStar want to make you a 'Smart Driver' with in-car monitoring program

The majority of us of like to consider ourselves good drivers. However, even if your driving record is accident-free, you may be putting more wear and tear on your car than you think.

Frequent hard braking, a heavy foot on the gas pedal, and poor fuel efficiency all put extra strain on your vehicle and can be taking money out of your pocket.

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If this knowledge sets off any alarms for you or simply has you curious about your driving habits, General Motors and OnStar have a program with the potential to make anyone a better and more efficient driver while also qualifying for insurance discounts. Through the Smart Driver Program, OnStar uses in-vehicle software to monitor your driving habits then compiles that data online.

Tracking everything from hard braking and acceleration events to the percentage of time spent driving at high speeds or late at night, OnStar Smart Driver lets you know how hard you're pushing your vehicle. It also records your average mpg and mph to let you know how fuel efficient a driver you really are.

Using all of this data, the program calculates a monthly "score" and issues a report for drivers to compare to others enrolled in the program. Then without revealing any personal information, drivers can share their report with participating insurance companies to see if their good driving qualifies them for discounts. Participating providers currently include Progressive, Liberty Mutual and Nationwide.

Smart Driver is included with OnStar's Basic Plan. This plan is available for free for five years starting from the purchase date of eligible 2015 and newer GM models. It does not include Emergency, Security or Navigation services which require a paid subscription. These include the $20 per month Protection Plan, $25 per month Security Plan, or $35 per month Guidance Plan. OnStar recently lowered the free trial period for its top-tier Guidance Plan from 6 months to 3 months ^[2]. However, those that do not continue their subscription after the trial period has ended will still continue to receive the free five years of OnStar's standard Basic Plan.

Considering the low cost and chance to save on insurance for simply good driving, the Smart Driver Program is worth a try for anyone with a compatible GM vehicle. Financial benefits aside, for all the aggressive drivers out there, myself included, it could definitely serve as a much-needed wake-up call as well.

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