Driverless cars: pain before gain

Driverless cars could make traffic congestion worse before they make it better, a study by the DfT has revealed. This is because the cars won’t be able to perform at their best until they begin to outnumber traditional cars – and until that day comes they’re likely to drive slowly and over-cautiously.

The performance of driverless cars relies on the way vehicles around them behave, meaning that many advantages of AV technology won’t be felt for years, the report says.

Insurance requirements for automated vehicles

The DfT has proposed amendments for the motor insurance framework to include automated vehicles. The amendments will require changes to legislation, however the government says it will change as little as possible in order to enable the market to develop the appropriate products for AVs.

The proposal is that an insurance company will cover both a driver’s use of a vehicle and the car’s AV technology. Having appropriate insurance will still be compulsory and the insurance would cover times when motorists are in control and when cars are in automated driving mode.