ABI response to proposals to support advanced driver assistance systems and automated vehicle technologies

Insurers are offering to handle the complications of insuring the first automated cars behind the scenes, meaning consumers should notice hardly any difference to the current system of motor insurance.

Responding to the Department for Transport’s consultation on how to support developing automated vehicle technologies, the joint paper from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and industry body Thatcham Research, published today, says:

• Drivers should continue to buy a single motor insurance policy to cover both manual and automated driving.
• Insurers should have a new legal right to recovery, allowing them to get costs back from motor manufacturers, software companies or other parties in cases where the vehicle or technology was found to have been at fault.
• Strict rules on what people can and cannot do behind the wheel need to be maintained and drivers will need absolute certainty about when they can safely allow the car to drive autonomously.

Download this consultation response to find out more.