16 Jan 2017
Legal, insurance experts say liability issues involving driverless tech are still unclear
A safety driver demonstrating a driverless car during a public trial run here in September.
The question of who is to blame in an accident involving an autonomous vehicle remains a sticking point here in Singapore. Legal scholars and insurance experts agree that the existing motor insurance framework was not designed for vehicles that drive themselves.
Today's motor policies are typically built around two parties: the named driver and the policyholder. When the "driver" is a software stack supplied by a manufacturer, things get complicated. Is fault with the human safety operator, the vehicle owner, the software vendor, or the original equipment manufacturer?
For now, Singapore is running autonomous-vehicle trials under a regulatory sandbox. Insurers are watching closely — and we expect motor insurance products to evolve as the legal landscape clarifies.
If you're a fleet operator considering autonomous-capable vehicles, talk to us early. The right cover today protects you while the policy frameworks catch up.