Videocast: Automated Transportation’s Legal and Ethical Risks
Posted on May 31, 2017
As currently written, our laws are not well-equipped to handle the increase in automated vehicles on the road. Moreover, the law and ethics often differ, and doing the safe thing on the road could cause a human to drive illegally. Would an autonomous vehicle drive faster than the speed limit if it needed to, drive at all if a loose gas cap turned on a check engine light, or execute the safest route around an obstacle if it meant breaking the rules of the road? In their videocast Automated Transportation’s Legal and Ethical Risks, Eversheds Sutherland (US) Partner Jason McCarter and Eversheds...
Continue Reading
Videocast: Cybersecurity and IP Issues with Internet of Things Devices in Autonomous Vehicles
Posted on May 23, 2017
Automated driving is not coming – it’s here. The entire automotive industry is implementing strategies, tools and technologies to not only allow the car to drive, but to operate using Internet of Things devices. In their videocast, Cybersecurity and IP Issues with Internet of Things Devices in Autonomous Vehicles, Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP Partners Mary Jane Wilson-Bilik and Griff Griffin discuss the Internet of Things and how it will impact big data, cybersecurity and data protection, and intellectual property and patents.
Continue Reading
Videocast: Insurance and Automated Transportation
Posted on May 16, 2017
The question isn’t whether automated technology will impact the auto insurance industry, but how big that disruption will be and when that disruption will happen. In their videocast, Insurance and Automated Transportation, Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP Partner Kymberly Kochis and Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP Partner Fabian Volz discuss numerous ways the insurance industry will be impacted by automated technology.
Continue Reading
NY DFS Proposes New Reg for Auto Insurers
Posted on May 16, 2017
The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has released a proposed regulation aimed at prohibiting the use of education and occupation as underwriting criteria. The proposal comes after a DFS investigation found some auto insurers in New York use a driver’s education level and/or occupational status as an underwriting factor, landing those drivers in a less-favorable initial tier placement. According to a media release issued by Governor Andrew Cuomo, under the proposed regulation auto insurers would not be able to use educational and occupational status in their insurance...
Continue Reading
Videocast: The Future of Artificial Intelligence: Autonomous Vehicles and Beyond
Posted on May 9, 2017
Companies and consumers need to truly understand the impact of embracing artificial intelligence, including that the rate of auto-related deaths will be lowered drastically, how our overall transportation, commerce and quality of life will be improve and that AI is a reality today and will become far more advanced with each passing year. These issues are discussed in The Future of Artificial Intelligence: Autonomous Vehicles and Beyond, a videocast by Eversheds Sutherland (US) Partner Michael Nelson and Eversheds Sutherland (International) Partner Charlotte Walker-Osborn
Continue Reading
Transportation Disrupted: Artificial Intelligence in the Driver’s Seat
Posted on May 5, 2017
On May 3, 2017, Eversheds Sutherland hosted a symposium on the future of automated vehicles. Topics included the legal and ethical risks, the insurance implications, and the data and IP issues arising from the shift to automated technology and the connected car. The conference opened with remarks by Vinn White, the former Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy. Mr. White set the stage, outlining key trends in the automotive industry and the steps the previous administration had taken to prepare for driverless cars. He also articulated many of the policy questions raised by the new...
Continue Reading
Dealing with Uninsured Drivers
Posted on May 3, 2017
The problem of uninsured motorists is one that has plagued states and insurers since the first financial responsibility laws were enacted. States have attempted to address this problem through legislation and enforcement, but those actions have had limited success. For example, one research study indicates that “no pay, no play” laws banning uninsured drivers from suing for non-economic damages after an auto accident have decreased the percentage of uninsured drivers by less than 2%. Some states now use electronic and online verification systems to identify uninsured drivers, whether on a...
Continue Reading
Increasing Reliance on Insurance Agents
Posted on May 3, 2017
In a recent study, JD Power reported that auto insurers increasingly rely on agent recommendation to drive new business sales. The market has not grown significantly in the last year, with slight premium increases and similar numbers of insurance purchasers and quotes since the 2016 study. Although price remains very important to consumers, an agent’s recommendations are becoming more and more significant in considering new insurers and obtaining quotes. The greatest indicator of customer satisfaction is ensuring that customers understand the coverage they are purchasing, which can also...
Continue Reading
Transportation Disrupted: Artificial Intelligence in the Driver’s Seat
Posted on May 2, 2017
We are pleased to be hosting a special artificial intelligence (AI) forum tomorrow, May 3, from 1:00 – 5:30 p.m. EST titled Transportation Disrupted: Artificial Intelligence in the Driver’s Seat. Attendees will hear from a variety of experienced practitioners on the subject of AI, including: Vinn White, former Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation (at 1:05 p.m.) Hod Lipson, head of the Creative Machines Lab at Columbia University and co-author of the book Driverless (at 4:40 p.m.) Please follow the event LIVE on Twitter using #DrivingAI to receive...
Continue Reading
Google Spin-off Waymo Offers Free Driverless Rides
Posted on Apr 26, 2017
Waymo, the self-driving car program spun off by Google, has announced that it will be offering Phoenix residents free rides in driverless Lexus SUVs and Chrysler Pacifica minivans. The company specified it is looking for riders from diverse backgrounds and varied transportation needs. Although the vehicles will be operated without a driver, a Waymo driver will be present to ensure a safe ride. Waymo has also announced that it will be adding 500 additional minivans to its fleet, which currently numbers 100.
Continue Reading
The Question of Liability in Autonomous Vehicle Crashes
Posted on Apr 18, 2017
Despite the ongoing development of autonomous vehicles, and the push to get autonomous vehicles on the road, there are still many questions about who can be held liable in the event of an accident. For example, while a consumer safety group believes that automakers should assume responsibility, automakers have argued that the issue is covered by state insurance laws determining liability. According to representatives for the Safe Autonomous Vehicles (“SAVe”) Campaign, the Campaign has reached out to executives from Audi, BMW, Daimler, Fiat, Ford, GM, Honda, Land Rover, Lyft, Nissan, Porsche,...
Continue Reading
Car Data Transmitters Pose Cybersecurity Risks
Posted on Apr 14, 2017
Argus Cyber Security Ltd., an Israeli cyber security firm, recently announced that it had succeeded in using a dongle, a device that many insurance companies install in vehicles to track policyholders’ driving behaviors, to gain access to a vehicle’s internal communication system. The announcement further raises concerns about the ability of hackers to take control of moving cars. Access to vehicles’ internal communication systems, could potentially allow hackers to shut down an engine remotely by using a smartphone app, a Bluetooth connection and a dongle. Argus Cyber’s...
Continue Reading
Big Brother Is… Underwriting?
Posted on Apr 7, 2017
Speakers at the Casualty Actuarial Society’s Ratemaking and Product Management Workshop recently commented that as the internet of things spreads and encompasses devices in vehicles and homes, underwriters for personal lines insurance companies must begin to take into account “exposure data tracking.” With respect to auto insurance, carriers now have access to sensors that can track speed, braking, turning, traffic, weather, and other factors. This information could allow insurers to monitor risks in real time, rather than having to rely on estimates and trends. As fully autonomous vehicles...
Continue Reading
How Patchwork State Regulations Could Benefit Driverless Cars
Posted on Apr 7, 2017
Several states have taken legislative, regulatory, or executive action to address the prospect of driverless vehicles. Although a “patchwork of regulations” that vary from state to state will be unsustainable in the long run, there may be benefits to the “laboratories of democracy” in the short term. As autonomous vehicle technology develops, different states will choose to balance safety and innovation differently, which will allow manufacturers, developers, consumers, and insurers to determine the most viable pathway forward.
Continue Reading
