GB2417048A

GB2417048A - Preventing vehicle use by an unauthorised or uninsured driver

Info

Publication number: GB2417048A
Application number: GB0421105A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan John Mock
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-08-13
Filing date: 2004-09-22
Publication date: 2006-02-15
Also published as: GB0421105D0; GB0418170D0

Abstract

The Vehicle Insurance and Authentication Device (VIAD) prevents vehicle usage by an uninsured and/or unauthorised driver. The device, eg in the form of a chip or memory stick that slots into a standard key fob socket, is supplied by the insurance company and used by the driver in conjunction with the vehicle ignition and engine management system to enable operation of the vehicle. In the system shown, when the key 3 with VIAD is turned, data (eg engine number, chassis number, registration number or an arbitrarily encrypted code) in the VIAD is validated against data sent from the on-board computer 5 and/or engine management system 6. The driver's fingerprint data, entered on the key fob or a screen on the on-board computer, is validated against that stored in the VIAD.

Description

24 1 7048

Problem Description:

Uninsured and unauthorized car drivers cost the insurance industry 500 million per year in the UK alone. This cost is the result of unpaid and/or non-existent insurance cover, consequential and/or incidental accident damage together with knock-on effects such as physical injury, financial compensation for injury, or otherwise.

Importantly it does not include the costs incurred for police time or to other parties concerned with such after effects such as hospital's, doctors, nurses, Local Authorities, and employers.

This cost is an unfair burden on legally insured drivers, they effectively having to pay inflated premiums to cover the uninsured. Equally it is also a burden upon the wider law-abiding members of public who pay for those parties, police, hospitals etc through taxation.

Problem Solution: A vehicle insurance authentication mechanism is required to start and move a vehicle. See diagram 1 on page 6.

Such a Vehicle Insurance Authentication Device is supplied by the insuring company (1) to the party/parties who are insured to drive particular vehicles at the time it issues, renews, and updates its insurance policies (2). Without such a device the car would be immobilised irrespective of other security measures which may be lowered by use of the keys or other car access / immobiliser mechanisms.

The device has stored in it information about the car and the driver and the key itself.

It will be a small silicon chip or memory stick that slots into an industry standard car key fob socket.

This securitised key (ignition key + Vehicle Insurance Authentication Device) is inserted into the vehicle's ignition and when used by the registered and insured party it activates the ignition verification system when the key is turned. This will then initiate the insurance verification before the vehicle can be started and driven away.

(Alternative physical devices could also be used such as a separate security key and fob just to perform the insurance verification).

At the moment the key is turned the Vehicle Insurance Authentication Device (VIAD) in the key fob will do the following: 1. The data in the VIAD will be sent to the ignition system via infra red communication (or variation). This will be validated against the vehicle identification data sent from the on-board computer (5) and / or engine management system (6). Those details may include the engine number, the chassis number, registration number, vehicle weight, colour, or other means to identification and/or it may just contain an arbitrarily encrypted code validating insurance to mobilise the vehicle. If required by an owner or insurance company by mutual agreement, additional personal information may be encoded into the VIAD, theoretically increasing further still the security protection, driving licence and vehicle key details for instance. If driving licence data were included it would provide a 4-way data authentication process (see Claims C1 below, DVLA being the fourth party). In any case should there be a mismatch of any data between the driver, the key VIAD, data in the on-board computer and engine management system, the car then cannot be started.

2. The driver's thumb/fingerprint or the unique digital data-encoding of, will be validated against the one stored in the VIAD and supplied to the insurance company when a party is buying/renewing/updating the insurance policy. This fingerprint validation would be done either on the key/key fob itself at the point of trying to start the vehicle (validating against the finger print information on the VIAD), or via the touch screen on the on-board computer. Unauthorised usage of the VIAD by possibly interchanging them with other fobs would not activate ignition, unless expressly and physically authorised by the primary insurance holder. (See point 3 below).

3. Vehicle usage by a non-named driver (NND hereafter) for a particular vehicle would be authorised if that driver has the VIAD permissioning (Key + VIAD + fingerprint touch) of the insured driver, and/or company. To do this the NND would insert their own VlAD+n into an auxiliary socket in the key fob as well and have that validated by the authorised driver with their fingerprint. That driver requesting vehicle use would then be able to drive the said vehicle using their own 3rd party insurance, if their own fingerprint matches that in their VIAD n inserted into the Key fob auxiliary socket.

All data stored on the security device is encrypted to legal national security levels thus preventing 'code cracking' by criminals.

With modification, this mechanism could be installed into cars already on the road the only difference being a variation on the physical installation, but the principle Benefits: Eventually reduce to a theoretical zero level the number of uninsured drivers on the roads once VIAD is introduced into all new cars.

Remove the stress from those people who drive legally and yet indirectly have to pay the cost of accidents for which they may not be at fault.

Provide authorities with ability to gain revenue for enforced insurance cover.

Insurance companies will receive revenue for previously unpaid policies.

Increase the public accountability of drivers who would otherwise be 'invisible'.

Statistically, illegal car drivers have other convictions against them and reducing their access to vehicles would in turn reduce their ability to travel. This in turn could help reduce the level of crime directly or indirectly associated with illegal vehicle usage.

Reduce the cost of car insurance generally by forcing otherwise uninsured drivers to pay their premiums.

Insurance companies reduce the cost of car insurance to owners of cars having built- in VIAD and thus giving incentive to drivers to obtain cars with VIAD device installed.

In the interests of insurers to participate in scheme as it will ultimately reduce the number of claims made against them.

Provides an additional level of car security, significantly helping prevent car theft, car jacking, and car ringing. Unauthorised car usage through theft or car jacking is an increasingly common crime and is also ultimately paid for by the insurance industry, which of course in turn passes that cost on to paying policy holders.

Helping to derive a fairer system for road usage together with a safer and more socially responsible approach benefiting everyone.

Claims

CLAIMS: (C 1) New vehicles fitted with the VIAD will prevent uninsured

and/or unauthorized vehicle usage. This is achieved by the 3-way data authentication between driver (fingerprint data), the on-board computer (engine and car details), and the key + (VIAD containing engine, chassis nos. registration no. + fingerprint data) The car cannot then be used without the very deliberate and highly unethical collusion by the insurance policy holder.

(C 2) In addition to claim C1, the VIAD will permit/authorise the usage of a particular vehicle by non-priority authorised drivers who are in possession of minimum 3rd party insurance of their own, or who are also covered by the priority users insurance policy. This is achieved by inserting their own VlAD+n into the key fob's auxiliary socket, when the priority user's own VIAD is already in place in the fob. When both are inserted the priority user will then activate the VlAD+n with their fingerprint on the fob. From this point the additional 3rd party insured driver will follow the same procedure for starting the vehicle's ignition as the primary user would do.

(C 3) Non-new vehicles will be able to have an auxiliary VIAD box fitted to existing engine management systems that perform the same data / user authentication as in claims C 1 & 2 above. Although operated in conjunction with the existing vehicle ignition system, it will perform the data verification and data messaging mechanism separately. Using either the on-board computer with a touch screen or the VIAD touch screen fitted to the vehicle dashboard, the finger print authorization process will remain the same.

(C 4) All vehicles, new and old, will be able to have VIAD fitted as in claims C1-3, although excluding insurance cover verification. In this arrangement the 'I' in the VIAD trademark denotes 'insurance' against theft, acting as a deterrent for would-be thieves by requiring the additional security of fingerprint authentication to mobilise a vehicle. The ViAD in this arrangement would be supplied by the car manufacturer or service agents licensed to perform installations instead of by the insurance industry.