Autocar Start: the smart way forward for young drivers
Autocar, in a unique partnership with Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy, smart, Carrot Insurance and Zurich, launches an innovative and cost-effective new safer driving initiative for learner drivers – Autocar Start.
Autocar Start is the first integrated motoring package of its kind specifically designed to help get younger drivers on the road.
Autocar Start offers young drivers with a provisional licence a brand new smart fortwo coupé pulse, 40 hours of tuition from Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy and fully comprehensive insurance from Carrot Insurance for a £500 deposit and a fixed monthly fee of £299 over three years with a 10k per annum mileage limit.
“Autocar is all about accessible, safe, fun motoring, and today's young drivers face a multitude of barriers to enjoying that," said Autocar editor Jim Holder. "The cost of owning a car, insuring it and getting the right training to be as safe as possible on the roads is prohibitive, so we set out to put together a competitively priced package that offers peace of mind for the driver and the bill payer.
“We're especially proud of Autocar Start because it provides access to a modern car, fully comprehensive insurance and expert driver training before and after the driving test. We are confident that Autocar Start will help young drivers become safer young drivers.”
Teaching the young drivers will be a Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy coach in a dual-control Mercedes-Benz A-Class or B-Class. The Driving Academy will provide training before and, crucially, after the young driver takes his or her driving test, ensuring the education continues and driving skills improve.
Built on the principle that all drivers are different and that, when it comes to learning to drive, one size doesn’t fit all, Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy offers tuition that is tailored to each individual. Using a series of pioneering tools, such as online personal risk assessment, e-learning modules and post-lesson self-evaluation forms, students will discover how their individual personality, emotions and attitude can impact their ability to be safe and responsible drivers.
Robert East, National Operations & Development Manager, Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy, commented: “Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy uses a new coaching technique, rather than instructing students on how to drive. This motivates drivers to make the right decisions through self evaluation, without relying on short-term instructions to simply help them pass their test.” Empowering learners in this way means that the personalised skills each student develops when learning will stay with them for a lifetime of safe and responsible driving, rather than becoming a distant memory post-test.
The young driver will be provided with a smart fortwo coupé pulse with an eco-friendly petrol engine with micro hybrid drive that provides the driver with 67.3mpg (government average) and low C02 emissions of 97g/km. The smart fortwo coupé is currently exempt from road tax.
To promote and encourage safe driving, after six months from when they have passed their driving test, each Autocar Start member will be able to start earning cash rewards for driving safely. This is measured via Carrot insurance’s pioneering in-car black box data recorder. Carrot Insurance is underwritten by leading global insurer Zurich.
“The Carrot telematics i-box monitors various aspects of driving style, such as acceleration, braking, swerving, and the number and length of journeys made,” explained Ed Rochfort, Product Director at Carrot Insurance. “This information is then aggregated into three categories – Speed, Smoothness and Usage – that are then combined to give an overall Driving Style score, from which quarterly cash rewards are calculated”
Uniquely, all of the rewards earned by Carrot’s customers are paid onto the policyholder’s personal Carrot Card prepaid MasterCard – preloaded with £20. Accepted at over 32 million locations worldwide, it can be used in-store or online, or the rewards can be withdrawn at any cash machine. It attracts a generous rate of cashback when used to make purchases at a growing network of leading high street retailers including Topshop, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Halfords and Zizzi.
With Autocar Start there are also no curfews or restrictions on driving at night or with friends. The thinking behind the ‘all Carrot, no stick’ philosophy is that it creates a consumer mindset where it literally pays to drive carefully – without imposing draconian measures in an attempt to enforce changes in behaviour. The system highlights poor driving and will identify if a driver needs additional training.
The young driver is responsible for servicing and fuel as well as keeping the car in good condition.
There are a limited number of places available during the pilot stage of Autocar Start.
Full details can be found at autocar.co.uk/autocarstart.