The Lemon Fool

One day in the future the driverless car will be the norm not the exception. At least if you believe what we are told today by industry experts.

If there are no drivers, only owners what does this mean to car insurance. I realise it would be necessary. But how will it work?

How will the insurance companies actually understand what they are insuring against and what the premiums should be?

And what does this all mean for Berkshire Hathaway which is Warren Buffett's big cash cow?

AiYn'U

At the moment it means little to the likes of Mr Buffet.

Ok, let us start with some simple stuff, how many died digging the channel tunnel? This is in modern times. Death benefits WERE paid.

Moving on, it's a problem. Let me state that I have an interest. For the last 30 years I have been involved in computer controled machines that can kill people, if they go wrong. Some 20 years ago in the UK the law was changed to emphasise the point. To put it blunty I could go to jail/gaol if I get it wrong.

That said, how do you argue responsibiity? My position is that even before the change in the law I did my bit. I still do, and can't do more than I do.

Re Cars:
As I understand currently the owner/one who puts the keys in, is responsible. That is unless proof exists otherwise. To argue the point, if your car stearing suddenly gives way and you mow down a bunch of school kids, it's not the fault of the MOT tester 9 months ago. It's STILL your fault! Unless of course for some reason he didn't do his job (I understand that in the past some dodgy places existed where you could buy a MOT), in that case of course they simply should also have exactly the same responsibility.

the thing about6 the elkyss though... another theoiry doing the ro9unds is that people wont actually own such a car. Instead there will be a fleet opf them cruising around or parked up wherever and they'll be hired like a cab... one will appear at your house etc and take to wherever. So you dont own trhe lkeys.

and you mnight well be sitting in the back of the car no where near a wheel/brakes, gears/ indicators etc ?


didds

I read a very detailed article about this subject in a Fleet Car Management magazine about a year ago. The long and the short of the article was that driverless cars will turn the vehicle insurance industry on its head. The change will be from the immediate liability for any claim relating to a car resting with the driver to resting with the car manufacturer. Both the car industry and the insurance industry are considering how this change will be enacted and have yet to agree any rule set as the technology is immature.

I thought that I'd post a link to an article on the subject in a technical journal.
https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/ ... s-are-safe

Oh and tell a story from about 20 years ago.

Wife, I and buggy waiting on pavement to cross the road judging trafic. Start to cross. The car hurtling down the main road at high speed lurches around the corner and screetches to a halt. Window down swearing at us. "Do you have a death wish"? Response "How the hell am I suposed to know that you intend turning, telepathy"?

Seriously His speed and lack of use of indicators lead me to believe that he wouldn't be turning. He must have assumed that he only needed to look for other vehicles (the highway code talks of road users) to indicate to. If there had been an acident, his insurance would have paid the financial cost but the survivers a more serious one.

Urbandreamer wrote:Seriously His speed and lack of use of indicators lead me to believe that he wouldn't be turning. He must have assumed that he only needed to look for other vehicles (the highway code talks of road users) to indicate to. If there had been an acident, his insurance would have paid the financial cost but the survivers a more serious one.

The Highway Code is even more explicitly in your favour. It says pedestrians who have already started to cross have priority.

Scott.

Urbandreamer wrote:I thought that I'd post a link to an article on the subject in a technical journal.
https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/ ... s-are-safe

Safety First for Automated Driving (2019) - White paper authored by APTIV, Audi, Baidu, BMW, Continental, Daimler, FCA, Here, infineon, intel and VW

https://www.daimler.com/documents/innov ... riving.pdf

Defining Safe Automated Driving, Insurer Requirements for Highway Automation (2019) - Thatcham Research for the Association of British Insurers

https://www.abi.org.uk/globalassets/fil ... g-2019.pdf