As cars and trucks move toward a more autonomous future,
Americans are highly polarized as to whether to accept or reject
them on the road, according to a study by American International
Group, Inc. (NYSE:AIG). Safety of the vehicles, including the risk
of hacking, are key concerns among respondents, while ease of
driving and lower insurance premiums are seen as compelling
benefits.
AIG will release a comparison of the U.S. study with data from
Singapore and the U.K. at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018
in Las Vegas this January.
Assessing Comfort Levels
Forty-one percent of survey respondents are uncomfortable with
the idea of sharing the road with driverless vehicles, while 42
percent are generally ok with it.
A major stumbling block to acceptance is the perceived security
of the vehicles, with 75 percent of respondents expressing concern
that fully driverless vehicles, and even autos with autonomous
features (emergency braking, lane departure avoidance, etc.), are
susceptible to hackers taking control.
Sixty-seven percent worry that a cyber breach could expose
personal data the vehicle may acquire, such as credit card
information, when and where drivers travel, and Internet
connections made from the vehicle. Even information such as whom
the driver had in the vehicle and the potential for private
conversations to be recorded registered as concerns.
A plurality (39 percent) believes driverless vehicles will
operate more safely than the average human driver, though a
substantial 27 percent felt they would not. When respondents were
asked whether fully autonomous vehicles would operate more safely
than they drive, 31 percent said no. The results show fairly even
opinions among Americans about the safety benefit of driverless
vehicles.
On the positive side, respondents were asked to select up to
three perceived benefits of driverless vehicles. The most appealing
benefits include:
- Easier/less stressful transportation
(44 percent);
- Increased road safety (42 percent);
and
- Lower insurance costs (39
percent).
Potential Risk Shifts
Overall, as more partially or fully autonomous vehicles hit the
road, respondents see responsibility for accidents shifting away
from individual drivers and more toward the auto manufacturers and
software developers that enable the autonomous technology.
“As we move from autonomous features to fully driverless
vehicles, risk does not disappear – it shifts from humans to
machines,” says Lex Baugh, President, Liability and Financial Lines
at AIG. “Understanding consumer perceptions of where risk with new
technology ultimately resides today will help industry and insurers
understand where liability may lie tomorrow.”
In one scenario where a fully driverless vehicle strikes a
pedestrian, respondents felt the automaker (50 percent) and
software provider (37 percent) would be most liable. Interestingly,
23 percent of respondents still see the vehicle’s occupant as
having some form of liability, while 19 percent see the same for
the vehicle’s owner. Not surprisingly, 81 percent of respondents
think individuals who purchase or ride in fully driverless vehicles
should still be required to have auto insurance.
For a similar accident involving a vehicle with automated
assisted driving technology, the driver is seen as most liable (54
percent), though the automaker and software provider are still seen
as substantially liable among respondents, at 33 percent and 27
percent, respectively.
Along with this shifting sense of risk toward the commercial
components of the car, a plurality of respondents (35 percent) felt
automated assistance systems or driverless vehicles should result
in lower insurance premiums for the vehicle owner.
“The need for personal auto insurance will not go away as
driverless cars emerge. Though without doubt, we will see shifting
of liability in certain scenarios,” says Gaurav D. Garg, CEO
Personal Insurance, AIG. “There are many ways for the driverless
vehicle story to unfold over the next several years. It is critical
for insurers to carefully watch the trend to help prepare clients –
both consumers and businesses.”
Timing Predictions
While most understand driverless vehicles are coming,
respondents don’t believe they will be on the scene anytime soon.
On average, Americans surveyed think it will take 22 years for
driverless vehicles with no active input from human drivers to
represent more than 20 percent of the vehicles on the road and that
it will take 34 years before the autos make up the majority of
vehicles in the U.S. The most significant factors cited as delaying
or preventing the wide availability of driverless vehicles include
(respondents could select up to three options):
- Costs will be too high (55
percent);
- Computer systems won’t be adequately
secured (41 percent);
- People enjoy driving too much (41
percent); and
- The vehicles won’t be safe enough (35
percent).
This is the fifth in a series of studies by AIG on innovative
technology, including the Internet of Things and the sharing
economy, and how risks are shifting as a result. To learn more
about AIG’s latest innovation efforts, blockchain pilot, and
studies, please visit aig.com/innovative-tech.
Editor’s Note: AIG’s Autonomous Vehicle Insights study was
conducted August 17-24, 2017 in partnership with McLaughlin &
Associates and Pinkston Group. The online study includes responses
from 1,000 adults in the United States with an accuracy of +/- 3.1
percent at a 95 percent confidence interval.
American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a leading
global insurance organization. Founded in 1919, today AIG member
companies provide a wide range of property casualty insurance, life
insurance, retirement products, and other financial services to
customers in more than 80 countries and jurisdictions. These
diverse offerings include products and services that help
businesses and individuals protect their assets, manage risks and
provide for retirement security. AIG common stock is listed on
the New York Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock
Exchange.
Additional information about AIG can be found
at www.aig.com | YouTube: www.youtube.com/aig |
Twitter: @AIGinsurance www.twitter.com/AIGinsurance |
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/aig. These references with
additional information about AIG have been provided as a
convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not
incorporated by reference into this press release.
AIG is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty,
life and retirement, and general insurance operations
of American International Group, Inc. For additional
information, please visit our website at www.aig.com. All
products and services are written or provided by subsidiaries or
affiliates of American International Group, Inc. Products
or services may not be available in all countries, and coverage is
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property-casualty coverages may be provided by a surplus lines
insurer. Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in
state guaranty funds, and insureds are therefore not protected by
such funds.
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AIGMedia:Matt Gallagher,
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