Michigan Considering Future of Tax Credit for Auto Insurers
Posted on Feb 11, 2016
Lawmakers in Michigan have discovered that an administrative change in the way the state’s assigned claims program is funded is costing the state tax revenue. The assigned claims program covers medical care of people injured in auto accidents where there is no insurance coverage. Insurers doing business in Michigan are required to pay into the program to cover these claims. Because of the administrative change, they now are eligible for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for amounts paid into the program. However, this has resulted in a significant unanticipated reduction in tax revenues....
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Computers as Drivers?
Posted on Feb 10, 2016
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has advised Google of NHTSA’s decision in a previously undisclosed Feb. 4 letter now posted on the NHTSA website this week. NHTSA stated that it “will interpret ‘driver’ in the context of Google’s described motor vehicle design as referring to the [self-driving system], and not to any of the vehicle occupants.” The letter continued, “We agree with Google its [self-driving car] will not have a ‘driver’ in the traditional sense that vehicles have had drivers during the last more than one hundred years.” While the NHTSA decision will certainly...
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MONDAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION
Posted on Feb 8, 2016
In how many states in the United States have Google autonomous cars operated on public roads? Answer to Thursday’s trivia question: That auto manufacturer that recently committed to death-free cars by 2020 is Volvo.
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Thursday’s Trivia Question
Posted on Feb 4, 2016
Which manufacturer recently committed to death-free cars by 2020? Answer to Wednesday’s trivia question: The name of the”top secret” facility in the San Francisco area where a number of manufacturers are testing new autonomous vehicle technologies is GoMentum Station.
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Wednesday’s Trivia Question
Posted on Feb 3, 2016
What is the name of the “top secret” facility in the San Francisco area where a number of manufacturers are testing these newer technologies? Answer will be provided on tomorrow’s blog.
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Looking Back: The NHTSA’s Preliminary Statement on Autonomous Vehicles
Posted on Feb 3, 2016
The Department of Transportation and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently unveiled a nearly $4 billion plan to accelerate autonomous vehicle development. At the same time the NHTSA released a policy update to its Preliminary Statement of Policy Concerning Automated Vehicles, which was originally issued on May 30, 2013. In the Preliminary Statement, NHTSA outlined the significant benefits autonomous vehicles technology could provide: a reduction in fuel consumption, traffic congestion, and greenhouse gases; greater mobility for those with disabilities;...
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UK Investing £20 million in Developing and Testing Autonomous
Posted on Feb 2, 2016
The UK Intelligent Mobility Fund has invested £20 million in eight projects aimed at developing and testing autonomous and connected vehicles, including testing the vehicles on UK roads to evaluate real-world driving conditions. The test corridor includes 41 miles of roads, including urban roads, dual-carriageways, and motorways. The vehicles will be tested using wireless connections that will provide information on a variety of issues, including how well connected cars communicate to change lanes and how drivers might receive emergency alerts. Projects funded by the Intelligent Mobility...
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Oklahoma Bill Mandates Market Survey of Shops
Posted on Feb 1, 2016
The Oklahoma legislature is considering a bill requiring insurers to conduct an annual market survey of motor vehicle repair and glass repair shop collision repair facilities. The survey would request information from repair shops on topics such as labor and material cost averages. Insurers would submit completed surveys to the Insurance Commissioner, who would publish them online. If passed, the bill, HB3132, would amend the state’s Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act.
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Faulty Hood Latch Prompts Third Recall For Nissan Altima
Posted on Jan 29, 2016
After two previous recalls regarding the same problem, Nissan North America Inc. launched a third recall of approximately 850,000 Altimas due to a faulty hood latch that causes the hood to open while driving. The recall is being led by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the latest recall brings the number of potentially affected cars to more than 1 million.
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Price Optimization Remains Key Focus of Regulators
Posted on Jan 27, 2016
2015 was an active year for price optimization among regulators, as nearly one-third of states issued guidance to P&C insurers on the practice. (Within the last two months alone, Connecticut, Missouri, and Alaska have issued bulletins on price optimization.) The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) also approved a highly anticipated white paper on price optimization at its annual meeting last November. The NAIC’s white paper will likely result in at least some uniformity among bulletins from states who have not yet released bulletins on the issue. Looking ahead, the...
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New York Parts Bill Redux
Posted on Jan 26, 2016
An old bill that aims to alter collision parts replacement laws in New York has been revived in the State Assembly. The proposed law requires vehicle owners to provide a signed consent form that describes the replacement parts to be used in the repairs. The bill also mandates that repair shops use only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts on vehicles during their first years of manufacture and two years afterwards. Moreover, the proposed law prohibits insurers from “requiring the use or installation” of any replacement crash parts without first providing disclosure to the vehicle...
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2015 – A Record Year For Auto Recalls
Posted on Jan 25, 2016
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that automakers recalled 51.3 million vehicles in 2015. This marks the second highest yearly number of recalls in the United States, trailing only 2014 when a reported 63.9 million vehicles were recalled. The NHTSA has recently responded to criticism on its handling of auto safety issues by implementing several initiatives. On January 15, 2016, the NHTSA announced a voluntary agreement with automakers to improve auto safety. A week later, it announced the creation of an education program called “Safe Cars Save Lives,” which...
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JAPAN INVESTS IN AUTONOMOUS CARS TO AID AGING POPULATION
Posted on Jan 22, 2016
Japan has announced heavy investment in autonomous cars in recent years as a means to address concerns presented by its aging population. The Japanese government has allocated 2 billion yen ($16.3 million) a year to develop maps and other technologies in a push to roll out fully automated driving by 2020, when Tokyo hosts the Olympics. Japan’s investment in autonomous vehicles is in part fueled by the need to keep Japan’s aging population mobile and in the workforce. In Japan, one in four people are 65 or older, compared with 15 percent in the United States and 8 percent worldwide. Global...
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FTC CAUTIONS AUTO INDUSTRY ON DATA PROTECTION
Posted on Jan 22, 2016
Federal Trade Commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen issued a stern warning to the automotive industry that they will have to take steps to protect customer information or face enforcement actions from her agency. Ohlhausen, speaking at the Washington Auto Show’s Public Policy review panel, cautioned that automakers need to take into account the security of information contained in their vehicles as they develop new generations of self-driving and networked cars that, while improving safety, also share tremendous amount of data with the world around them. Ohlhausen highlighted the risks posed by...
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