An Upate on Driverless Cars…Where Is It Going?

Back in February 2015 the first driverless cars were tested in the UK. At the time they were hailed as a potential cost-cutter in the insurance sector … surely taking out the human error would reduce risk, eliminate crashes and reduce premium?! The idea of being a passenger in a driverless car is apparently frightening people … and to date, there have been 11 test crashes.

Time Will Tell

Driverless cars are certainly on the horizon for insurance brokers…we’re taking a watching brief! A number of questions certainly spring to mind…will we be insuring them as drivers or passengers for one? With it looking likely that drivers will be given the opportunity to take control of the vehicle and drive manually, how will premiums be calculated based on % time driven?!

Claims will also be a minefield…will technology confirm that the driver was manually driving and therefore at fault, or will computer error be blamed? Will damages be filed against the manufacturer and in turn, the creator of the technology under the bonnet?

Claims will certainly take a lot longer to resolve if it is the latter. When the time comes, Willis Insurance and Risk Management’s AIS Division will be here to assist in any claims resolutions speedily and effectively.

Almost half of British adults surveyed in the research would be unwilling to be a passenger in a driverless car while 16% are “horrified” by the idea. 43% expressed concerns about the safety of other drivers on the road, and its ability to detect pedestrians and cyclists, whilst a further 16% responded that they would be ‘Horrified – cars should only be driven by humans’.

With vehicles still in testing and the public’s initial negative perception, it most likely won’t be on our agenda for some time. For less futuristic claims queries, contact Mark Willis on 028 9032 9042 or via markw@willisinsurance.co.uk

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