Who will be liable when a self-driving car crashes?

The Government Actuary's Department looks at the risks presented by connected and autonomous vehicles

Mark Moran

18 September 2017

The Government Actuary’s Department says that has been much debate within actuarial circles centred around the issue of responsibility and its impact on insurance

Autonomous vehicles are likely to deliver a wide range of social and economic benefits, including a reduction in deaths and injuries due to collisions. However, issues such as assigning who is liable for injury and repair costs will have to be resolved as experience of driverless vehicles is accumulated, a government report suggests.

The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), which assesses risk for central and local government, has produced a paper called Self-Driving Cars, which...