Self-driving cars are a cool concept. You get in your car, plug in where you are going and away you go. In theory a self-driving car could be safer. Human error, drunk driving, and distracted driving could potentially all be eliminated. This could lead to a safer roadway. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the thought is that by 2025 there will be 3.5 million self-driving cars on the road. It is cautioned though that these cars will not be fully autonomous but will have certain conditions in which they will operate autonomously. A FYI PA is one of the states with enacted legislation for autonomous cars. What does this mean for you and for your insurance? For one autonomous cars are not without flaws. In July 2016 a Tesla Model S was involved in a fatal accident, and again in 2018 a self-driving car killed a drive when it struck a median. This can create a confusing situation for insurance companies when determining who is at fault. Is it the car manufacturer? The software company? The driver? This could throw insurance rates into flux as companies try to grip how to charge customers. Recent problems with self-driving cars could push the timeframe down the road, but they will be here soon. Would you ride in a self-driving car? What do you think about self-driving cars?
