Insurance Company Issues First Driverless Car Policy
Policy could pave the way for other insurers
Adrian Flux, an insurance company in the U.K., has launched what it calls a "driverless car insurance policy" that may shed light on how autonomous cars are covered in the future.
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"We understand this driverless policy to be the first of its kind in the U.K. — and possibly the world," Gerry Bucke, general manager of Adrian Flux, said in a press release. The company describes it as a typical insurance policy with a few extras.
On its website, Adrian Flux says the driverless car policy is intended for drivers who have or are thinking of buying a car with autonomous features. The plan covers everything from getting your car hacked to an operating system failure and satellite outage affecting the navigation system. Drivers are also covered for loss or damage caused by a failure to manually override the autonomous system in the event of a mechanical failure.
Adrian Flux also attempts to answer the most pressing question affecting insurance and autonomous cars: who is liable in the event of an accident? It depends on the condition of the car, the driver's level of awareness, road conditions, and other vehicles involved, the company says. Customers may not bear any responsibility if the driverless technology has failed. Drivers are on the hook for installing all necessary software on their vehicles, although they'll be covered if something happens during the first 24 hours of being notified of the update.
It's unclear how much the policy would cost different drivers, although they are likely to see savings. "We already provide discounts for cars fitted with assistive technology such as autonomous braking as it has been proved to reduce accidents, and therefore claims. This is a natural continuation of the work that's already gone into this area," Bucke said.
Adrian Flux says the policy will change as autonomous vehicles evolve. Fully autonomous vehicles aren't expected on the road sooner than 2020.
Source: Adrian Flux via The Guardian
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