Not updating your autonomous car will invalidate insurance

Motorists who do not install required software updates or install prohibited software in their autonomous vehicle will be liable for any damages caused in the event of an accident.

According to the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill, which received its first reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday, motorists will also invalidate their insurance if they initiate their vehicle’s autonomous driving functions when they know it is inappropriate to do so.

Previously, the government had said that insurers would pay out to victims of incidents involving driverless cars, and that insurers would then be able to determine whether the manufacturer or driver was to blame in order to claim any money back.

However, the new bill states that “software alterations made by an insured person… or a failure to install safety-critical software updates an insured person knew, or ought reasonably to have known, were safety-critical… the amount paid by the insurer is recoverable from that person”.

The bill also states that the insurer or owner of an autonomous vehicle won’t be liable if the driver in charge of the vehicle allows it “to begin driving itself when it was not appropriate to do so”.

James Dalton, director general of insurance policy at the Association of British Insurers, said: “Insurers wholeheartedly support the development of automated vehicles, as they have the potential to significantly reduce the large number of road accidents caused by driver error.

“We support the approach the government has taken in the bill, as this will give the industry time to prepare for the commercial rollout of fully automated driving technology.