[EN] From the Origins of Telematics to the Future of Digital Risk

Season 1 | Episode 13
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From Cars to People: The Evolution of Insurance Telematics with Dr. Fabio Sbianchi

How the Role of Telematics is Shifting from Automotive to Human-Centric Risk Management

In this episode of Insurance Telematics, host Harald welcomes Dr. Fabio Sbianchi — a pioneer in telematics insurance — for a forward-thinking conversation on how the field has evolved over the last two decades. Starting from early anti-theft systems in the 1990s to the human-centric vision of insurance today, they explore how telematics, smartphones, and biometric data are transforming the industry. The episode also introduces Wallife and its groundbreaking approach to insuring risks emerging from scientific and technological advancements, including AI, biohacking, and genetics.

The Beginnings of Insurance Telematics in Italy

Harald introduces Dr. Fabio Sbianchi, who recounts his journey starting in 1997 with Viasat. In 2002, he co-founded Auto Telematics, leading to the rise of customer profiling in insurance. By 2005, Unipol became the first insurer to adopt this model, followed by Generali.

From Hardware to Smartphones: 20 Years of Innovation

  • Early 2000s: OBU systems with SIM cards and complex logistics
  • Mid-2000s: Self-install devices lowered costs
  • Today: Smartphones and tags streamline access and engagement

Fabio notes that while technology has advanced, mindsets remain outdated. True transformation lies in how data fosters relationships and prevents risk.

Rewarding Good Drivers, Not Punishing the Bad

Telematics aims to reward safe drivers, reduce accidents, and improve claims processes. Fabio suggests that insurers should focus on client relationships, while tech partners handle technical claims.

Introducing Wallife: Insurance for the Post-Digital Human

Wallife addresses emerging risks from scientific and technological progress. It covers:

  • Genetic and biometric risks
  • Biohacking and body-integrated tech
  • AI, robotics, cryonics, and cloning

Wallife is technically an MGA but operates with the scope of a full insurer, aiming to redefine insurance for the future human being.

The Shift from Vehicles to Humans

Fabio sees the term “telematics” as outdated. The focus must shift to personal data — wearables, health devices, and biometrics. The smartphone is the current hub, but in the future, our bodies may generate and transmit data directly.

AI: The Next General-Purpose Revolution

Fabio compares AI to electricity and the internet — transformative technologies that enable broad change. He sees AI as an opportunity for growth in insurance and beyond.

Key Takeaways

  • Italy pioneered telematics insurance with early adopters like Unipol and Generali
  • Telematics tech has evolved, but customer engagement strategies lag behind
  • Wallife is insuring futuristic risks tied to biotech and AI
  • The smartphone is a bridge to a future of embedded, human-centric data
  • AI will revolutionize the insurance industry like electricity and the internet did

This episode was originally recorded in Italian, you can find the Italian version here: Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music


Full Transcript of the Episode

Harald
Good morning, everyone. This is the first time I’m presenting our podcast, Insurance Telematics, in Italian because today we are very… I feel very honored because today we have as our guest a dear friend and a person who is very, very, very well known in the field of telematics insurance, Dr. Fabio Sbianchi. Good morning, Fabio.

Fabio
Good morning, Harald. Good morning.

Harald
How are you? Where are you?

Fabio
Today, you find me in Rome, and thank you for this invitation and for the opportunity to exchange ideas on a subject that we love.

Harald
So, if I remember correctly, we first met in 2007, but at that time, you were already much further ahead in the telematics field because you had already launched the first programs in Italy, if I remember correctly, in 2002 or 2003. Tell us a little bit about the story and how you started working with telematics insurance.

Fabio
Well, first of all, what you said really isn’t very difficult. I started earlier, and you can tell by the color of my hair. I began working back in the year ’97 with vehicle positioning systems, specifically with Viasat. I was the PMO at Viasat, overseeing the company’s setup, and we built the first European satellite anti-theft system on a very large numerical scale. In 2002, I left Viasat and, together with some close friends and colleagues, I founded Auto Telematics, which added the important feature of customer profiling. This allowed insurance companies to better understand customer behavior and what happened in an accident. Insurance telematics was born in Italy and spread throughout Europe and the U.S. But it took three and a half years, until May 2005, before we partnered with the first insurance company that trusted this proposal. It wasn’t easy.
Harald And this company is still working in the telematics field today because it has become part of their DNA.
Fabio Yes, it was Unipol first, then Generali. Unipol started in May 2005 and hasn’t stopped since. It was perhaps the company that best understood the benefits of collecting data on driving behavior and objectively understanding risk. They internalized this activity in 2019 with their own platform. They’ve been fantastic with reusing telematics.

Harald
Then, if I remember correctly, at that time we used an onboard unit, an OBU, installed in the car. We had to purchase a SIM card, manage installation and logistics — it was a complex process. Today, we can use the customer’s smartphone, a tag, or OBD devices. Life has become easier and cheaper. We used to use telematics mainly for anti-theft or fraud detection, but now the technology and services have advanced. How do you see the evolution of the last 20 years continuing?

Fabio
You put it very well. From the early 2000s to today, there have been many transformations. Early devices were expensive, including installation and subscriptions. So companies, including us, used the “loan for use” model — we advanced the costs and recovered them over time. Self-installing devices later reduced installation costs. Today, smartphones have eliminated entry barriers. But I believe telematics is still stuck where it was 10 years ago. The tools changed, but the mindset hasn’t. We need disruption. The smartphone has enabled customer engagement, but we haven’t reached the final stage yet. As pioneers, we expect more.

Harald
I understand. I’ll take that as motivation to speed up. But let me make an analogy: the car hasn’t changed much in a century, yet it’s more comfortable now. Telematics has shifted from identifying bad behavior to helping prevent accidents. What do you think?

Fabio
Two things. Telematics never aimed to look for the “bad guys.” It aimed to reward good drivers. The bad ones just keep paying. The benefits are for those who strive to drive better. This leads to fewer accidents and lower costs. But we’ve done little in customer profiling, claims detection, and claims management. Ideally, insurance companies shouldn’t deal with claims — that’s technical. Telematics companies should handle them. Insurance should focus on client relationships. They have millions of clients and very little interaction. You’re working on this — I support customer engagement. Telcos can sell insurance and energy. Why not insurers? We have a responsibility to help them build strong relationships and defend their base, or it’ll be taken by automakers or big platforms.

Harald
Now, you’ve taken a big step forward because risks are increasing with rapid tech advancement. I remember years ago you told me about something new, now a company called Wallife. Tell me about OneLife — the vision, what you’re doing, and where you are now.

Fabio
In insurance telematics, better people have arrived. I needed to find something else. So I made a big jump with friends — I don’t like working alone. Wallife is an MGA, technically, but let’s call it an insurance company for now. It aims to cover risks from tech and scientific progress before birth, during life, and after death. Over the last 30 years, tech has exploded. Earlier innovations came slowly, now they all arrive at once. Fraudulent use can cause harm. Wallife studies advanced tech like genetics, biometrics, biohacking, cryonics, cloning, the metaverse, AI, and robotics. We study how their misuse could pose risks to humans.

Harald
Let me make a hypothesis: there’s a clear connection between telematics insurance and what you’re doing. The smartphone is central, especially with biometrics and biological data. Do you think telematics will evolve into other sectors beyond automotive?

Fabio
Yes, absolutely. “Telematics” is an outdated term. The smartphone has given us direct access to the person — that’s where we must focus, not just cars. For motor, health, and broader risks, it’s the person that matters. That’s why I say telematics is old — we must move from cars to people. Smartphones help us get there. We deal with risks from before birth, like genetics, where someone could harm us even as embryos. These are independent of the smartphone, but it’s still useful. Biohacking, for example, puts tech inside our bodies — pacemakers, implants, nanoparticles. The center is the human, not the car. Telematics companies can lead in this.

Harald
For us, exactly. Biohacking, longevity, and health span are so important. The smartphone connects to wearables, Oura Ring, Apple Watch, glucose monitors — all generating biometric data. I think the smartphone will remain the center of communication, acting as a hub between data and the person.

Fabio
You are very pragmatic and skilled, so I’ll add something more forward-looking. The real issue isn’t the smartphone — it’s how humanity will change. Humans will become more digital than we imagine. In the future, we may become the smartphone. Our bodies will communicate without us even knowing. Medicines may arrive based on internal signals. OneLife studies how technology interacts with the body — it’s full of opportunities and risks. All scientific innovation has side effects. We aim to cover the risks. We need people who study the new human being. Wealth has shifted from physical to digital. Thieves used to steal objects — now they’re digital engineers. That shift will also affect our bodies. Whoever first understands this transformation will lead. People are the key, not cars. The smartphone is temporary.

Harald
Looking at the past, 150 years ago electricity gave us power. 80 years ago, TV gave us information. 30 years ago, the internet gave us communication. Now, AI gives us the power to create. More people can create than ever. What do you think?
Fabio That’s an important topic. We’ve had three major revolutions: electricity, the internet, and AI. These aren’t tools for just one thing — they enable many things. The car moves us, but electricity can power anything. The same with the internet. AI is the same. I don’t know exactly where it will lead, but I look at history. Electricity and the internet spread everywhere and transformed life. AI will too — no doubt. I’m not afraid. I see electricity, internet, and AI as equal opportunities. The world will change for the better.

Harald
Fabio, we’ve covered so much. We started 150 years ago with electricity, then came the internet, telematics, and AI.

Fabio
Very nice. But telematics can’t be compared to electricity, the internet, or AI. It’s just a feature we took from the internet.

Harald
Of course. Thank you so much. It was truly interesting. I hope everyone listening and watching enjoyed it. Thank you and see you soon.

Fabio
Thank you for this opportunity. Sorry if I was a bit too forward-thinking, but I believe that’s the challenge — to think today about what will happen tomorrow.

Harald
We were definitely aware of this risk. Bye.