(Bloomberg) — Allstate Corp. said improved technology willeventually give the auto insurer a chance to boost revenue byselling customer driving data, much as Google Inc. profits bycollecting information on those who use its search engine.

"There are lots of people who are monetizing data today,"Allstate Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tom Wilson saidThursday at a conference in New York held by Sanford C. Bernstein& Co. "You get on Google, and it seems like it's free. It's notfree. You're giving them information, they sell yourinformation."

Wilson is preparing for a future of autonomous vehicles thatferry passengers and are safer than current fleets. While a lowerfrequency of accidents may limit demand for insurance, Wilson saidthat Allstate can adjust to technological improvements.

Insurers are increasingly using data on customer habits to helpanalyze risks and set prices. The records could also be valuable toadvertisers who want to know where potential customers travel andwhat hours they're on the road.

"Could we, should we sell this information we get from peopledriving around to various people and capture some additional profitsource and perhaps give a better value proposition to ourcustomers?" asked Wilson, whose company is the largest publiclytraded U.S. auto insurer. "It's a long- term game."

Allstate climbed 0.3% to $67.81 at 3:46 p.m. in New York. TheNorthbrook, Illinois-based company has slipped about 3.5% thisyear.

Customers Uneasy

While some drivers may not initially like the idea of theirinsurers collecting more data, that unease would tend to dissipatewhen people are offered discounts, Wilson said.

"We're not seeing any huge consumer pushback," he said. "You'llsee a rapid uptake when the pricing technology is right."

Wilson joins Glenn Renwick, the CEO of Progressive Corp., inassuring investors that the industry can adapt. Renwick said in2013 that better data can be used by underwriters to designpolicies.

"It gives us some very direct insight to the vehicle," Renwicksaid. "That gives us opportunities to think about thingsdifferently, what might be insurable."