CN105869478B

CN105869478B - determining driver rankings

Info

Publication number: CN105869478B
Application number: CN201610055001.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 哈里哈兰·拉朱; 扎吉尔·侯赛因·莎伊克
Original assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
Current assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
Priority date: 2015-02-06
Filing date: 2016-01-27
Publication date: 2019-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 2036-01-27
Also published as: CN105869478A

Abstract

a method for determining a ranking of drivers based on the driving level of each driver. The method includes transmitting, by a first user device corresponding to a first driver, a driving invitation to user devices corresponding to other drivers to request the other drivers to drive from a predetermined starting point to a predetermined destination point. Further, the value of each driving parameter corresponding to the first driver is determined in real time by the first user device. The method further includes providing the values of the driving parameters to user devices corresponding to other drivers. The method further includes receiving values corresponding to the driving parameters of the other drivers from user devices of the other drivers. The method further includes determining a ranking of the first driver and the other drivers based on the comparison.

Description

Determining driver rankings

Background

vehicles have become a fundamental requirement for private individuals. Advances in technology have made it feasible to record vehicle data indicative of the operational conditions of a vehicle. From such data, several analyses can be performed. For example, a manufacturer of a vehicle may perform a commercial analysis to identify one or more disadvantages of the vehicle. Therefore, the manufacturer can take appropriate measures to eradicate the disadvantages of the vehicle.

In another example, the analysis for determining the level of the vehicle driver may be performed from vehicle data. For example, U.S. patent application 20130164714a1 (the' 714 patent application) describes a system and method for determining a level of a vehicle operator from a level metric. The level metric may be based on one or more metrics corresponding to operation by the driver of the vehicle, respectively. The level metrics may then be shared on a driver level ranking website for comparison with the levels of other drivers.

although the' 714 patent application describes determining the level based on one or more metrics, the level may not reflect a true measure of the level of the driver. For example, drivers may operate their vehicles on different terrain. In such a case, the metrics corresponding to the operation of the vehicle driver may be substantially different. Thus, a comparison based on such metrics may not reflect a true measure of the driver's level. In another example, one or more attributes associated with the vehicle, such as fuel mileage, engine capacity, and braking system, may differ and thus may affect the metric. As a result, a comparison based on such metrics may again fail to reflect a true measure of the driver's level.

Disclosure of Invention

this summary is provided to introduce concepts related to systems and methods for determining a driver's rank. This concept is further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to determine or limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

in one embodiment, a method for determining a ranking of drivers based on a driving level of each driver is described. The method includes transmitting, by a first user device corresponding to a first driver, a driving invitation to user devices corresponding to other drivers to request the other drivers to drive from a predetermined starting point to a predetermined destination point, wherein the first driver and the other drivers drive between the same starting point and destination point at different times. Further, a value for each driving parameter corresponding to the first driver is determined in real-time by the first user device from one or more sensor outputs received from sensors disposed in the vehicle of the first driver, wherein the sensor outputs are generated by the sensors as the first driver drives the vehicle from the starting point to the destination point. The method further includes providing the values of the driving parameters to user devices corresponding to other drivers. The method further includes receiving values corresponding to the driving parameters of the other driver from the user device of the other driver after the other driver reaches the destination point. The method further includes determining a ranking of the first driver and the other drivers based on a comparison between values of the driving parameters corresponding to the first driver and the other drivers, respectively.

In another embodiment, a user device for determining a ranking of a driver is described. The user equipment includes a processor and a communication module coupled to the processor. The communication module is to transmit a driving invitation to a user device corresponding to the other driver to request the other driver to drive from a predetermined starting point to a predetermined destination point, wherein the first driver and the other driver drive between the same starting point and destination point at different times. The user device further includes a horizon analysis module connected to the processor to determine a value for each driving parameter corresponding to the first driver in real-time from one or more sensor outputs received from sensors disposed in the first driver's vehicle, wherein the sensor outputs are generated by the sensors as the first driver drives the vehicle from the origin point to the destination point. The user device further includes a ranking module connected to the processor to determine a ranking of the first driver and the other drivers based on a comparison between values of the driving parameters corresponding to the first driver and the other drivers, respectively, wherein the values of the driving parameters corresponding to the other drivers are received from the user devices of the other drivers after the other drivers reach the destination point.

drawings

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for determining a ranking of a driver according to an embodiment of the present subject matter;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a user device for determining a ranking of a driver according to an embodiment of the present subject matter; and

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method for determining a ranking of a driver according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Detailed Description

vehicle data associated with the vehicle may be analyzed for performing one or more analyses. For example, the vehicle data may be analyzed to determine a level of the vehicle driver. As previously mentioned, one or more metrics may be determined from the vehicle data. The level metric may then be determined from the metric, as described in the' 714 patent application. The level metric may then be used to determine the ranking of the driver by comparing the driver's level to other drivers. However, for the reasons described above, a comparison according to the principles of the above application may not reflect a true measure of the driver's driving level.

the present subject matter describes systems and methods for determining a ranking of a driver. According to one aspect, the ranking of drivers may be determined according to their respective driving parameters determined on a fixed route, i.e., from a predetermined starting point to a predetermined destination point. Examples of driving parameters may include, but are not limited to, fuel efficiency, speed, normalized completion time, and ideal vehicle usage. Determining the driving parameters on a fixed route ensures that a true measure of the ranking of the driver is obtained.

In an embodiment, a first driver requesting to compare his driving level with other drivers may use a first user device to transmit driving invitations to user devices corresponding to the other drivers. The driver invitation may include appropriate indications that other drivers are driving on the fixed route. Furthermore, in the described embodiment, the first driver and the other drivers may drive on the fixed route at different times.

in real-time, as the first driver begins traversing a fixed route in the vehicle, the first user device may determine a value corresponding to a driving parameter of the first driver from one or more sensor outputs received from sensors disposed in the vehicle. The sensor may be configured to generate a sensor output when the first driver is driving the vehicle from a starting point to a destination point. For example, sensors deployed to determine fuel efficiency may measure the amount of fuel consumed across a fixed route. The first user device may use the measured quantity to determine a fuel efficiency of the vehicle operated by the first driver. Furthermore, in an embodiment, the driving parameters may be normalized. For example, where two vehicles have different fuel mileage, fuel efficiency may be normalized according to fuel mileage. In an example, a first user device may provide values of driving parameters to user devices corresponding to other drivers. Further, the first user device may receive values corresponding to driving parameters of other drivers from user devices of other drivers after the other drivers have traversed the fixed route.

As can be appreciated, each user device may obtain driving parameters from other user devices. In one embodiment, the user device may then use the driving parameters of all drivers to determine the ranking of the drivers. In another embodiment, the user devices among all the user devices may determine the ranking of the respective driver by performing a comparison between the driving parameters of the driver and the other drivers. For example, the first user device may determine the ranking of the first user by performing a comparison between the driving parameters of the first user and the driving parameters of the other users. Since the driver's driving parameters are recorded on a fixed route, the comparison tends to reflect a true measure of the driver's level. Furthermore, the normalization of the driving parameters ensures that the comparison is performed in a neutral manner.

Thus, as will be clear from the above description, determining driving parameters on a fixed route ensures that a true measure of the driving level is obtained. Furthermore, normalization ensures that the comparison is performed in a neutral manner, providing an accurate measure for determining the ranking of the driver. Thus, a fairness measure of driving level and thus rank is determined according to the present subject matter.

The above-mentioned embodiments are further described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the description and drawings relate to exemplary embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the present subject matter. It will also be appreciated that various arrangements which, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the subject matter, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.

FIG. 1 provides a block diagram depicting a system 100 for determining a ranking of a driver. The system 100 includes a plurality of sensors 102-1, 2. Each of the plurality of sensors 102 may be connected to one or more vehicle components. It should be noted that the manner in which the sensor 102 is provided depends on the type of vehicle component. For example, if an accelerator pedal, one of the sensors 102, such as sensor 102-1, may be mounted to the accelerator pedal. Similarly, another sensor, such as sensor 102-2, for determining an engine-related parameter, such as oil level, may be disposed within the engine of the vehicle. Thus, each sensor 102 may be disposed in a different vehicle component. For the present subject matter, different types of sensors will be used. Examples of such sensors include, but are not limited to, position sensors, pressure sensors, liquid level sensors, and thermal sensors.

the sensor 102 may be further connected to the user device 104 through a data communication interface 106. The data communication interface 106 (hereinafter referred to as interface 106) provides a mechanism for acquiring data from each sensor 102 and communicating such data to the user device 104. The interface 106 may include a number of interfaces, such as interfaces for data input and output devices (referred to as I/O devices), storage devices, network devices, and the like, for communicatively associating the sensors 102 with the user device 104. The interface 106 facilitates communication between the sensor 102 and the user device 104.

The user device 104 may be implemented as a logic-based system. In one embodiment, the user device 104 may include processing logic or a control unit (not shown in the figures) for processing data acquired by the sensors 102. The processing may be based on logic programmed in the control unit or by circuitry implemented in the control unit. The user device 104 is correspondingly further connected to an interface 106. The communication mechanism between the user device 104 and the interface 106 may be implemented by mechanisms known in the art. For example, the connection between the user device 104 and the interface 106 may be implemented using one or more communication buses. Continuing with the user device 104, the user device 104 may include a horizon analysis module 108 and a ranking module 110 for determining a ranking of the driver from the data obtained from the sensors 102.

the user device 104 may alternatively be implemented as a system integrated in the vehicle under consideration. In another implementation, the user device 104 may be a mobile computing device. The mobile computing device may be such that it can establish communication with the interface 106. In such a case, the interface 106 may be a wired interface or a wireless interface. The data collected from the sensors 102 may then be continuously maintained in an internal repository or memory (not shown). Communication between the user device 104 and an internal repository or memory may be established through the interface 106 when needed. Once the data is obtained through the interface 106, the user device 104 may process the data to determine driving parameters and rankings of the users of the vehicles. The system 100 further includes a controller 112 communicatively connecting the sensor 102 and the interface 106. The controller 112 may communicate with a memory or cloud storage of the user device 104 through the user device 104 for storing data from the sensors 102 or other data.

in operation, a driver of a vehicle may request that his driving level be compared to other drivers. In such a case, the driver may use the user device 104 to communicate driving invitations to other drivers. The driving invitation may include instructions for requesting other drivers to drive through the fixed route. As can be appreciated, the driving invitation may be received by other drivers using respective user devices, such as the user device 104.

In one embodiment, as the driver begins traversing a fixed route, the sensors 102 may continuously collect information from the respective components of the vehicle to which they are connected. The sensor 102 may then provide this information in the form of sensor output to the level analysis module 108. Upon receiving the sensor output, the level analysis module 108 may determine a value for each of one or more driving parameters of the driver based on the sensor output. The driving parameter may be understood as a parameter on which the driving level of the driver may be evaluated or compared. Examples of driving parameters may include, but are not limited to, fuel efficiency, speed, normalized driving completion time, and ideal vehicle usage. Fuel efficiency may be understood as the ratio of fuel consumed by a vehicle to the market range of the vehicle in order to traverse a fixed route completely. The speed may be indicative of an average or maximum speed of the vehicle recorded during the vehicle traversing the fixed route. The normalized driving completion time may be understood as the time taken to completely traverse a fixed route. In one example, traffic flow information associated with a fixed route may also be considered when a driver is traversing the fixed route to determine a normalized driving completion time. Ideal vehicle usage may be understood as representing information corresponding to one or more factors of driving, such as transmission gear, hard braking, speed limit compliance.

Once the driving parameters are determined, the user device 104 may transmit the driving parameters to other user devices. Similarly, the user device 104 may receive driving parameters of other drivers from their respective user devices when the other drivers are to traverse fixed routes in their vehicles.

In an embodiment, the ranking module 110 may perform the comparison based on the driving parameters of the driver and the driving parameters of the other drivers. For example, the ranking module 110 may compare the fuel efficiency of the driver with other drivers. Based on the comparison, the ranking module 110 may rank the drivers. As can be appreciated, in other embodiments, the comparison may be performed according to other driving parameters. For example, the highest speed or average speed of the driver and other drivers may be compared to determine the ranking. Furthermore, in some cases where the driver's vehicle is of a different model than other vehicles, the driving parameters may be normalized accordingly. For example, in the example of fuel efficiency, fuel consumption may be normalized according to the market mileage of the vehicle, respectively.

In another embodiment, the user device 104 may store the driver's driving parameters in an internal memory for future use. In the described embodiment, the driver may request that his driving level be compared with himself. In such a case, the user device 104 may again determine the driving parameters when the driver traverses the fixed route a second time. Thereafter, the user device 104 may perform a comparison between the stored driving parameters and the currently recorded driving parameters in the manner described above. Thus, the progress or the retreat of the driving level can be determined.

Thus, determining a ranking based on drivers traversing a fixed route facilitates determining a true measure of their driving level.

FIG. 2 illustrates a user device 104 for determining a ranking of a driver in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. In an embodiment, the user device 104 may include one or more processors 202, an I/O interface 204, and a memory 206 connected to the processors 202. Processor 202 may be a single processing unit or multiple units, all of which may include multiple computing units. Processor 202 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuitry, and/or any devices that manipulate signals in accordance with operational instructions. Among other functions, the processor 202 is configured to read and execute computer-readable instructions and data stored in the memory 206.

The I/O interfaces 204 may include various software and hardware interfaces, such as interfaces for peripheral devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a display unit, external memory, and a printer. In addition, the I/O interface 204 may enable the user device 104 to communicate with other devices, such as tag readers (not shown), other computing devices, and other external databases (not shown). The I/O interface 204 may facilitate a plurality of communications among various networks and protocol types, including wired networks (e.g., Local Area Networks (LANs), cable, etc.) and wireless networks (e.g., wireless LANs (wlans), cellular networks, or satellites). To this end, the I/O interface 204 includes one or more ports for connecting multiple computing systems to each other or to a network.

The memory 206 may include any non-transitory computer-readable medium known in the art, including, for example, volatile memory (e.g., Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) and Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM)) and/or non-volatile memory (e.g., Read Only Memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM, flash memory, a hard disk, an optical disk, and a magnetic tape). In one embodiment, the user device 104 also includes a module 208 and data 210.

Module 208 includes, among other things, routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular data types. Module 208 may also be implemented as a signal processor, a state machine, logic circuitry, and/or any other device or component that manipulates signals based on operational instructions. Further, the module 208 may be implemented as hardware, instructions executed by a processing unit, or by a combination thereof. A processing unit may comprise a computer, processor (e.g., processor 202), state machine, logic array, or any other suitable device capable of processing instructions. The processing unit may be a general-purpose processor that executes instructions to cause the general-purpose processor to perform desired tasks or the processing unit may be dedicated to performing desired functions.

in another aspect of the present subject matter, the module 208 may be machine readable instructions (software) that when executed by a processor/processing unit perform any of the functions described. The machine-readable instructions may be stored on an electronic storage device, hard disk, optical disk, or other machine-readable storage medium or non-transitory medium. In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions may also be downloaded to the storage medium via a network connection.

In one embodiment, the modules 208 further include a communication module 212, a level analysis module 108, a ranking module 110, and other modules 214. The other modules 214 may include programs or coded instructions that complement the applications and functions of the user device 104.

the data 210 serves, among other things, as a repository for storing data processed, received, and generated by the one or more modules 208. The data 210 includes vehicle data 216 and other data 218. Other data 218 includes data generated as a result of executing one or more of modules 208.

In operation, the communication module 112 may communicate a driving invitation to other user devices. In one example, the driving invitation may include location coordinates related to a predetermined starting point and a predetermined destination point. Further, the driving invitation may indicate a path between a predetermined starting point and a predetermined destination point. A path may also be referred to as a fixed route. Upon receiving the driving invitation, other drivers may traverse the fixed route at any time.

In an example, the sensor 102 may generate one or more sensor outputs when the driver begins traversing a fixed route. As previously described, upon receiving the sensor output, the level analysis module 108 may determine one or more driving parameters, such as fuel efficiency, speed, normalized driving time, and ideal vehicle usage, based on the sensor output. For example, a sensor monitoring the speed of the vehicle may provide information relating to the speed of the vehicle in various circumstances. From this information, the level analysis module 108 may determine a maximum speed and an average speed of the vehicle. Similarly, sensors may be deployed to record the time taken to completely traverse a fixed route. In such a case, the horizon analysis module 108 may analyze the information to determine the total time it takes to traverse the fixed route, also referred to herein as the drive completion time. In such cases, the horizon analysis module 108 may consider traffic flow information associated with the fixed route and may then normalize the driving completion time to obtain a normalized driving time. The traffic flow information may indicate a traffic flow at a time when the vehicle is traversing the fixed route and an estimated time of traversing the fixed route. Thus, the horizon analysis module 108 may relatively determine the driving completion time it takes for the driver to completely traverse the fixed route.

For example, consider that user 1, user 2, and user 3 are participating in a race from destination a to destination B and the average time to reach the destination is 30 minutes when the traffic flow is normal, 60 minutes when the traffic flow is slow, and 90 minutes when the traffic flow is large. If all users fall into the same traffic flow category, then the user time will be equal. In another case where the traffic flow categories of the users are different, the driving completion time may be standardized as described below.

when user 1 participates in the game, it is considered that the traffic flow is normal and he arrives at the destination in 20 minutes. So the time he takes to reach the destination will be 66%. When user 2 participates in the game, consider that the traffic flow is slow and he arrives at the destination in 60 minutes. So the time he takes to reach the destination will be 100%. When the user 3 participates in the match, it is considered that the traffic flow is a large traffic flow and he arrives at the destination in 45 minutes. So the time he takes to reach the destination will be 50%.

in another example, the level analysis module 108 may determine the fuel efficiency from fuel consumption recorded by another sensor. Where the vehicles are the same model, the level analysis module 108 may not normalize fuel efficiency. However, the level analysis module 108 may normalize fuel efficiency where other vehicles are different models. In another case, the level analysis module 108 may always normalize fuel efficiency. To normalize fuel efficiency, the level analysis module 108 may compare the fuel consumption of the vehicle to the purported fuel efficiency of the vehicle. The claimed fuel efficiency may be understood as the claimed fuel efficiency of the vehicle by the manufacturer of the vehicle. Based on the comparison, the level analysis module 108 may calculate a relative value, which is then determined to be the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

In another example, the level analysis module 108 may determine an ideal use case. In the example, the level module 108 may increase the value of ideal vehicle usage based on one or more dangerous driving parameters, such as an optimal gear, a sudden braking indication, a sharp turning indication, and an overspeed indication. The level module 108 may store the driving parameters in the vehicle data 216.

in one embodiment, the communication module 212 may communicate the driving parameters to other user devices via, for example, a short message service or other global system for mobile communications (GSM) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) channel. Similarly, in an embodiment, the communication module 212 may receive driving parameters from user devices corresponding to other drivers. In another embodiment, the communication module 212 may transmit the driving parameters to a central server or cloud server and simultaneously transmit messages to user devices of other drivers. The message may include a link to the user's driving parameters. In the described embodiment, other drivers may download the driver's driving parameters upon receiving the invitation.

The ranking module 110 may perform a comparison to determine the ranking of the driver based on the driving parameters of the driver and the driving parameters of the other drivers. In an example, the ranking may be determined from only one driving parameter. In another example, the ranking may be determined according to more than one driving parameter. Once the driver's rank is determined, the communication module 212 may transmit the rank for display on the online portal.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method 300 for estimating a driver's rank according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. The order of the described methods is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement the foregoing method or another method. Further, the method 300 may be implemented by a processing resource or computing device through any suitable hardware, non-transitory machine readable instructions, or combinations thereof.

It will also be appreciated that the method 300 may be performed by a programmed computing device, such as the user device 104 depicted in fig. 1 and 2. Further, the method 300 may be performed according to instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium, such as will be readily understood. The non-transitory computer readable medium may include, for example, digital memory, magnetic storage media (e.g., one or more magnetic disks and tape), hard disk drives, or optically readable digital data storage media. Although the method 300 is described below with reference to the user device 104 described above, other suitable systems for performing these methods may be utilized. Furthermore, the practice of these methods is not limited to such examples.

At block 302, a driving invitation is transmitted to user devices corresponding to other drivers via a first user device corresponding to a first driver. A driving invitation may be understood as a request for other drivers to drive from a predetermined starting point to a predetermined destination point. In one example, the first driver and the other drivers may drive between the same starting point and destination point at different times. In one embodiment, the communication module 212 may transmit a driving invitation.

At block 304, a value for each driving parameter corresponding to the first driver is determined by the first user device in real-time. In an example, the driving parameters may be determined from one or more sensor outputs received from sensors disposed in the first driver's vehicle. The sensor output may be generated by the sensor when the first driver drives the vehicle from the starting point to the destination point. In an example, the level analysis module 108 may determine a driving parameter.

At block 306, the values of the driving parameters are provided to other user devices. In an example, the communication module 212 may provide the values of the driving parameters to other user devices.

At block 308, after the other driver reaches the destination point, values corresponding to the driving parameters of the other driver are received from the user devices of the other driver. In an example, the communication module 212 may receive values corresponding to driving parameters of other drivers.

at block 310, the rankings of the first driver and the other drivers are determined based on a comparison between values of driving parameters corresponding to the first driver and the other drivers, respectively. In one example, say, the fuel efficiency of the drivers may be compared to determine the ranking. In another example, more than one driving parameter may be compared. In an embodiment, the ranking module 110 may determine the ranking of the driver.

Although examples for the invention have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the appended claims are not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed and described as examples of the invention.

Claims

1. a method for determining a ranking of each driver as a function of the driver's driving level, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first user device corresponding to a first driver, a driving invitation to user devices corresponding to other drivers to request the other drivers to drive from a predetermined starting point to a predetermined destination point, wherein the first driver and the other drivers drive between the same starting point and the destination point at different times;

Determining, by the first user device, a value for each driving parameter corresponding to the first driver in real-time as a function of one or more sensor outputs received from sensors disposed in a vehicle of the first driver, wherein the sensor outputs are generated by the sensors as the first driver drives the vehicle from the origin point to the destination point;

providing the values of the driving parameters to the user devices corresponding to the other drivers;

Receiving values corresponding to driving parameters of the other driver from the user device of the other driver after the other driver reaches the destination point; and

Determining the ranking of the first driver and the other drivers according to a comparison between the values of the driving parameters corresponding to the first driver and the other drivers, respectively.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving parameters include at least one of fuel efficiency, speed, normalized driving completion time, and ideal vehicle usage.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the value of the driving parameter includes:

Determining a model of the vehicle corresponding to the other driver;

Upon determining that the model of the vehicle corresponding to the other driver is different from the model of the vehicle of the first driver, obtaining a market range of the vehicle of the first driver; and

Calculating the fuel efficiency of the vehicle of the first driver as a function of the market range, a distance between the starting point and the destination point, and a fuel consumed by the vehicle during driving between the starting point and the destination point.

4. the method of claim 2, wherein determining the value of the driving parameter includes:

Acquiring a driving completion time indicating a time taken for the first driver to reach the destination point;

Acquiring traffic flow information of a path between the starting point and the destination point at a time during which the first driver drives from the starting point to the destination point; and

calculating the normalized driving completion time of the first driver according to the driving completion time and the traffic-flow information.

5. the method of claim 2, wherein determining the value of the driving parameter includes increasing a value of the ideal vehicle usage as a function of a dangerous driving parameter, wherein the dangerous driving parameter includes at least one of an optimal gear, a hard braking indication, a hard turning indication, and an overspeed indication.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the value of the driving parameter includes:

Determining, by an onboard vehicle interface, a gear of the vehicle of the first driver at various times as the first driver drives from the origin point to the destination point;

Determining, by the first user device, whether the gear is the optimal gear for the speed of the vehicle at the time the gear is determined; and

Increasing, by the first user device, the value of the ideal vehicle usage according to the determination.

7. the method of claim 5, wherein determining the value of the driving parameter includes:

Receiving, by the first user device, the hard braking indication from an in-vehicle interface indicating a sudden decrease in speed of the vehicle; and

increasing the value of the ideal vehicle usage based on the hard braking indication.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the value of the driving parameter includes:

receiving, by the first user device, steering wheel angles at respective times when the first driver is driving from the origin point to the destination point from an in-vehicle interface;

Determining, by the first user device, whether the first driver has taken a sharp turn at the respective time instant in accordance with the steering wheel angle; and

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises presenting the ranking of the first driver and the other drivers on a social networking site.

10. A user device corresponding to a first driver for determining a ranking of the drivers according to a driving level of each driver, the user device comprising:

A processor;

a communication module connected to the processor to transmit a driving invitation to a user device corresponding to another driver to request the other driver to drive from a predetermined starting point to a predetermined destination point, wherein the first driver and the other driver drive between the same starting point and the destination point at different times;

A horizon analysis module connected to the processor to determine values for each driving parameter corresponding to the first driver in real-time from one or more sensor outputs received from sensors disposed in a vehicle of the first driver, wherein the sensor outputs are generated by the sensors as the first driver drives the vehicle from the origin point to the destination point; and

A ranking module connected to the processor to determine the ranking of the first driver and the other drivers according to a comparison between the values of the driving parameters corresponding to the first driver and the other drivers, respectively, wherein the values of the driving parameters corresponding to the other drivers are received from the user devices of the other drivers after the other drivers arrive at the destination point.

11. the user equipment of claim 10, wherein the communication module is further to:

providing the values of the driving parameters to the user devices corresponding to the other drivers; and

receiving the values of the driving parameters corresponding to the other driver from the user device of the other driver after the other driver reaches the destination point.

12. the user device of claim 10, wherein the driving parameters include at least one of fuel efficiency, speed, normalized driving completion time, and ideal vehicle usage.

13. The user equipment of claim 12, wherein the horizon analysis module is further to:

determining a model of the vehicle corresponding to the other driver;

14. The user equipment of claim 12, wherein the horizon analysis module is further to:

15. The user equipment of claim 12, wherein the horizon analysis module is further to:

Increasing the value of the ideal vehicle usage based on one or more dangerous driving parameters, wherein the one or more dangerous driving parameters include at least one of an optimal gear, a hard braking indication, a sharp turning indication, and an overspeed indication.

16. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the horizon analysis module is further to:

Determining whether a gear of the vehicle of the first driver is the optimal gear of the speed of the vehicle at the time the gear is determined; and

Increasing the value of the ideal vehicle usage based on the determination.

17. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the horizon analysis module is further to:

receiving the hard braking indication from an onboard vehicle interface indicating a sudden decrease in speed of the vehicle; and

18. the user equipment of claim 12, wherein the horizon analysis module is further to:

receiving, from an onboard vehicle interface, steering wheel angles at respective times when the first driver is driving from the origin point to the destination point;

determining whether the first driver has taken a sharp turn at the respective time instant in accordance with the steering wheel angle; and

increasing the value of the ideal vehicle usage based on the determination.