► Renault gameifies driving safely
► New Safety Coach standard on several cars
► Does it work, or is it just a nag?
Want to become a better driver? Renault thinks it has the answer, introducing new tech in its latest cars designed to guide you to becoming safer on the road. Safety Coach is available on the current Scenic, Captur, Rafale and Symbioz plus the upcoming 5 EV. The system has netted an innovation award from the French government.
Safety Coach works very much like those onboard systems – found on almost every Renault, for example – that rate you on how efficient your driving is. How much throttle you apply, how early you anticipate the need to slow down, your coasting technique and how efficiently you change gear if you use a manual – all this and more influence your eco rating. Instead, Safety Coach measures you on speed, how close you are to cars in front and ‘trajectory management’ – keeping in your lane and not getting distracted.
Worried that this all sounds very annoying? Renault provides a handy button that activates your individual preferences for the car’s safety and assistance systems. By default, everything is on whenever you get in, but the ‘My Safety’ button allows you to change all the car’s settings with the one push – easy.
With Safety Coach also on board, even if you adjust or turn off some of the safety aids like lane keep, speed warning and autonomous emergency braking, Safety Coach will keep an eye on you anyway. You may be pleased to know, however, that this information never leaves the car, so those insurance premiums won’t skyrocket if your insurer sees any ropey scores.
The first score of the day for us was 39 out of 100. Ouch. ‘You sometimes have a risky driving style,’ says the coach, offering guidance that boils down to ‘go slower’. As well as that total score out of 100, each of the three areas of focus – speed, following distance and trajectory – is broken down into ratings out of five.
Small animations and videos brief you on how to drive more safely, advising you on certain behaviours, and gameifying safer driving. And the results are clear – our score improved, reaching as high as 79.
But, just like a coach at the gym, it only offers you motivation and advice. Want to become a better driver? You still need to put in the work.
Renault Safety Coach: how it works
Score of shame
Whether you like it or not, Renault’s Safety Coach watches your every move. Drive like a fool? You’ll be scored poorly, and told you have a ‘risky’ driving style – ouch.
Road to recovery
Your speed, distance from other vehicles and attentiveness to keeping in your lane are rated at all times. Want a better score? Maybe learn to relax.
On-road therapy
‘It not worth it!’ says the Safety Coach like an extra in EastEnders if it thinks you speed regularly. It guides you to use the on-board safety tech more.
Does it work?
Yes. It all works as you’d expect it to, but it’s there to give you surface-level guidance and nothing more. Many of us will take that light touch as a good thing if we’re, er, keen drivers.