A new chapter in digital driver monitoring is opening, starting with the professional drivers of Athens Urban Transport Organization (OSY).

OSY’s management has already set in motion the rollout of a telematics system that effectively turns drivers’ mobile phones into an “electronic supervisor” behind the wheel.

While the official objective is to enhance road safety, the discussion unfolding around the initiative suggests that this model will not remain confined to urban buses. Instead, it is widely seen as a precursor to broader developments that are also of direct interest to insurance companies.

The OSY project, with a budget of 28,500 euros plus VAT, was contracted in late December and is expected to be completed within four months. It is based on a mobile application developed by Greek startup OSeven and does not require the installation of any additional equipment in the vehicles.

Through the “O7Drive” application, key aspects of each driver’s behavior will be automatically recorded using sensors and GPS. These include speed, harsh braking, acceleration, maneuvers, and even mobile phone use while driving.

Data collection will be fully automated from the moment geolocation is activated, without any need for manual input by the driver.

A scoring system
According to the terms of OSY’s call for proposals, the system will include user licenses for both the mobile application and a web-based management platform, a driver behavior scoring system, an API interface for data exchange, and “full compliance with information security and personal data protection requirements.”

Proponents of telematics argue that such systems can deliver striking results. International studies point to improvements in driving behavior of up to 65%, accident reductions of as much as 70%, and cuts in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions of up to 30%.