Self-driving car
developers might say their products are almost ready for public use, but there’s still one major obstacle left for them to overcome—the issue of trust.While pilot projects and beta versions are already underway, imperfect tech, safety regulations, and questions about car insurance
have forced all of them to delay full autonomy. To keep investors and users on board, they’ve continued to rely on the human touch. So what does the future of autonomous transportation look like? Jerry
, your car ownership super app
, dug around to find you the answers. Major players in self-driving tech still need car-sitters
Some of the biggest companies in the world are playing around with autonomous vehicles (AVs). Automakers like GM, Tesla, and Toyota all have their projects on the go, but Alphabet Inc. (Google’s parent company) also has skin in the game.
Its AV company Waymo
has automated minivans roaming the streets of Phoenix. But Claims Journal
says avid riders have spotted safety-vest-clad personnel keeping an eye on the driverless taxis. Waymo admits that its human teams monitor and assist its fleets at all times. Toyota-backed Pony.ai
’s human operators perform a similar task around California, but they actually sit inside the vehicles—in the passenger seat—with access to a red “stop” button should anything go awry. GM’s Cruise project uses front-seated human minders as well. MORE: How Self-Driving Cars Will Affect Car Insurance Rates
Human intervention might not be a temporary fix for self-driving cars
Despite what most of these programs would have you to believe, independently owned AVs and robotaxis will likely need the help of flesh and blood for the foreseeable future.
The short-term reason for this living, breathing support might be to gain the trust of the public, but companies experimenting with this technology have another, much tougher audience to convince: regulators.
In California
, the most popular state for these kinds of pilot projects, the law still requires constant two-way communication between “driverless” vehicles and their manufacturers. But the bulk of the conversation is still focused on Tesla, which has been under fire since beta testing of its “Full Self-Driving” mode (FSD) began in October 2020.
From the safety concerns
expressed by the NHTSA to questions from auto insurance companies
about who’s liable if the car causes an accident while in FSD mode, the rollout of Tesla’s Level 2 autonomous driving software has been anything but smooth. Who is at fault in an accident involving a self-driving car?
Determining liability in car accidents
involving regular vehicles can be tricky enough as it is. Self-driving cars make it that much harder. Say you get in an accident with one other vehicle. Depending on the state, traffic laws and insurers determine how much fault to apply to each party or which party is at fault.
But if one of those vehicles was an AV or had self-driving software engaged, the number of parties involved jumps from two to three or even four. Suddenly fault can be applied not just to the drivers, but to the vehicle’s owner and manufacturer as well.
If you have questions about how your car insurance protects you in situations like these, Jerry’s friendly agents are here to answer them and provide advice on the best coverage options. As life changes, your insurance changes, and Jerry is ready to make those adjustments for you.
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