But it's a different thing. Collecting basic perf data after the fact is one thing, and it has some value to the insurance companies, but that's it.
Real-time data is useful across a whole spectrum of applications. One that comes to mind relates to a white paper that I wrote about 10 years ago, proposing that V2I (vehicle to infrastructure) communications be leveraged to reduce state and local DOT costs related to road treatment.
It's a not widely known fact that in the northern part of the country the largest annual expense incurred by a state DOT is in road treatment - chemicals, vehicles and labor. They treat all roads basically the same, and at basically the same time. It's very much a blunt instrument approach.
Real time V2I data can tell the collecting agency a lot about road conditions, via the transmission of information related to ABS signaling, traction control signaling, speed vs. speed limit, wiper activation, etc. You can, with the appropriate algorithms, map very specific roadway conditions and target treatment application tactically, thus reducing cost.