Hot Topic: Auto insurance in the age of the driverless
car
Background
Not surprisingly, the most common cause of vehicle accidents is
human error. Whether a motor vehicle offers one automated function
or fully autonomous driving, AV technologies that shift driving
responsibility from the driver to the car will reduce the potential
for human error and the number of accidents. The overall societal
benefits of less vehicle accidents are considerable. According to
statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, in a single year the cost of medical care and loss of
productivity associated with injuries from motor vehicle accidents
can exceed $80 billion. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
estimated that if all motor vehicles were equipped with just a few
AV technologies (e.g., forward collision and lane departure warning
systems, blind spot assist, adaptive headlights) nearly a third of
crashes and fatalities could be prevented. AV
