A road safety app called Freeedrive. This is the solution that a Belgium young team has created for discourage dangerous behavior during driving. They use our iBKS beacons (iBKS 105) connected with a mobile app to send notifications once the driver has started the trip. We’ve talked with its Managing Partner, Jan-Pieter Cootjans.
What is, exactly, Freeedrive?
Freeedrive is a road safety solution aiming to make fleets safer, greener and less costly for companies and individuals. Our solution is the “road safety app” that discourages dangerous behaviour by giving notifications when one uses phone while driving, as well as monitors the driver’s dangerous driving behaviour.
Freeedrive uses our iBKS 105:
How does the smartphone know when you’re inside the car?
Each driver has a small beacon, that we call the DrivePad, which is a Bluetooth device that connects to your phone and wakes the application up whenever you are in the car.
This little bluetooth device is an iBKS beacon, one of our most outstanding products. How is the experience working with beacon technology?
Freeedrive has a positive experience with the technology of the beacons offered by Accent Systems. The beacons are reliable and easy to configure. They will analyse your request and will try to fit it in at a reasonable price.
How do you know about us and why did you decide to work with our iBKS?
At Freeedrive, we did a market research for beacon suppliers around the world and Accent Systems came out #1. Based on the price/quality comparison, we decided to proceed with them.
In how many cars is Freeedrive installed, nowadays? Are they spread all around the world, or are your clients mostly in Belgium?
We collaborate with 6 Belgian companies with fleets as big as 200 cars. We are rolling out our solution in some of them now and we will reach more than 100 users in May.
Freeedrive team
How is your type of client: particular drivers or companies with vehicle fleet services?
Our main focus is on the B2B market, companies that want to increase the safety or diminish the costs of their fleet. We also sell Freeedrive to individuals directly and indirectly through insurance and leasing companies.
How do drivers react to the initiative?
We received a lot of reviews from our early adopters and clients. The most interesting and informative feedback is that people change their habits of texting while driving.
- «Managing risk is important for insurance companies. Addressing the use of the smartphone helps them doing exactly that», Wauthier Robyns de Schneidauer, Directeur Communication Assuralia.
- « J’adore les voitures. C’est idiot de causer un accident juste parce qu’on veut vite regarder son smartphone. Freeedrive met la priorité sur la sécurité des gens et des véhicules. Ca c’est du smartphone ! », Thierry van Kan, Président de la FEBIAC.
- «We need more responsible and attentive drivers on the roads. Your smartphone can be a danger, but also a solution!», Frédéric Maeyens, General Manager RACB.
- “Freeedrive helped me change my habit of using the smartphone while driving. I just don’t think about taking it out anymore”, Philippe Miclotte, Arcelor Mittal.
- “Freeedrive challenges me to get the highest possible safety score to improve road safety”, Jimmy Van Looy, Truck driver DBT Logistics.
Are drivers tracked when using Freeedrive?
Freeedrive will use GPS to calculate your speed and then to determine whether you are driving or not but Freeedrive is not tracking the drivers’ routes.
What happens if the driver picks us the phone?
Each time drivers take the phone in their hand, Freeedrive will give a vocal and push notification about the distraction while driving.
Is Freeedrive the magical solution to reverse the increase of road accidents?
If changing someone’s behaviour can be called magic, then yes. Freeedrive is the one and only solution that gives an immediate actionable feedback to drivers, using the carrot-stick approach.
The objective of the company is not just to reduce the number of accidents but also to make the society aware… Isn’t it?
We strongly believe in our mission to save as many drivers from absolutely preventable car crashes as possible. Our solution will not only encourage you to turn off your smartphone at the steering wheel, but also will make you become a more responsible driver. We collaborate with Belgian Road Safety Institute in order to spread the word about the dangerous situation on the road, caused by distracted and reckless driving.