The Self Driving Car Craze and Why It May Cause More Subrogation Claims In the Future
Jan. 22, 2020
You see them in the movies and on tv. In our wildest dreams, we could not expect self-driving cars to ever become a reality. However, today’s reality is telling a much different story. According to many inside sources, we are a few years away from autonomous cars being a reality, especially in Britain.
As early as last year, the UK was planning for its arrival. What is not so clear is the cause and effect of the autonomous car. Some are predicting a spike in subrogation claims.
The Self Driving Car Accident: Where Will the Blame Be Placed?
That is the big question on everyone’s mind. As of 2021, the UK hopes to have both self-driving cars and semi-self-driving cars on the road. The question remains, who is to blame when an accident occurs?
Cars already have a mix of technology. Cars are able to talk to each other on the road now with some of the latest smart technology. We asked an expert in the field his opinions and here is what he had to say:
“The countries where motor vehicle insurance is necessary will be the first to see the changes. Unfortunately, this will also lead to more autonomous car accidents. There is a lot of data that we need to take into consideration with an autonomous car accident. Some are predicting that the self-driving technology will lead to an accident-free existence on the road. I do not see that happening anytime soon, if at all. People are too reckless on the road.”
The expert we talked to also added this:
“We have seen reports that 95% of car accidents are due to human error, which includes texting and driving. Now if we take this number at its worth, then that leaves us at 5%. This is still a large number because a lot of people will take advantage of the self-driving capabilities. They will let the car do all the work, refusing to take responsibility for their part.”
We inquired with some other experts about the benefits of a self-driving car. We wanted to know whether the benefits outweighed the possibilities of a self driving car accident.
1) Self-driving cars is basically software on wheels. New age cars will have their emissions reduced by 60%.
2) Cars like these will reduce the number of accidents people have on the road, though, many still disagree over this. The autonomous car accident rate might go up.
“I am not completely sold on the idea. The arrival of the self-driving car gives people an excuse to be lazy behind the wheel. It gives people another reason to pay attention to their phones, not the road itself.”
3) Commuters will spend less time on the road.
4) Drivers will reduce the amount of gas they use on their commutes. Maps will provide better routes. The car will know where to go. Traffic congestion will slowly become a thing of the past.
Is that enough to set people’s minds at ease?
1) One disadvantage is that drivers will need to put their faith in a computer to do all the work. Computers mess up, too, and that is not very reassuring to a lot of people.
2) What happens when the car makes a mistake and the software goes down? That will put everyone in the car at risk, especially the driver. This is a clear disadvantage that upsets a lot of people.
3) Autonomous cars travel according to the GPS program, which is not always accurate. I have used the GPS software before and they do make mistakes. Drivers could be sent on a wild goose chase, increasing their chances of an accident.
4) What happens when someone hacks into the system? Cars talk to each other on the road. You need to set up some kind of virus protection, otherwise, someone will hack their way in. Hackers can take your car on a joyride without you knowing it. Drivers do not always think about that sort of thing.
5) What about when a sensor fails? Roadblocks come up all the time. Traffic signals fail. Self-driving cars react to these situations. Your software will be affected when something goes out. Bad weather will cause an instant distress for cars.
Conclusion
Only time will tell what happens with subrogation claims and whether the number will go up or down. What do you think about self-driving cars? Do you think there will be an increase or decrease in accidents?