As we head into the festive season we are once again reminded that South Africa is
the country with the most dangerous roads in the world.
Unfortunately, South Africa has been ranked as the world’s most dangerous country
to drive in, according to a research study undertaken by international driver
education company Zutobi.
Insurtech Pineapple has come out with an early Christmas present that is sure to
make our festive seasons a lot safer – a free automated crash detection, in-app
feature.
Chief Development officer Ndabenhle Ngulube explains how the product will work.
“You simply download the app and activate crash detect. When you are in an
accident we notify your nominated emergency contacts that they should check in
with you. We also send them your location as well as a handy list of emergency
numbers”
Unlike similar benefits offered by various insurers, Pineapple’s crash-detect does not
require the installation of a device in your vehicle, and is not limited to only
policyholders, but is free to anyone who has a smartphone.
This in-app approach means the service will work whether you are driving in your
own car, someone else’s car, or a passenger in a vehicle, as long as you have your
phone on you.
Chief Innovation Officer at Pineapple, Matthew Elan Smith, explains their rationale
for creating the service “Our Auto Crash-detect feature aligns to our core mission of
enhancing safety via community. We are hopeful that this free tool will help to
promote road safety this festive season, by providing peace of mind for all Pineapple
and their loved ones.”
When asked about the possibility of false alerts being sent to your family Ngulube
replied “We combine your GPS data as well as other sensors in the phone to bring
false alerts to a minimum, so it will not trigger if you drop your phone. We also give
you 60 seconds to cancel the alert if you are not in an accident or do not require
help”
Crash detect is activated on the Pineapple App, available via the Google Play Store,
Apple App Store and Huawei App Gallery.
Staff writer
