Is No-Fault Auto Insurance the Answer to Liability Concerns of Autonomous Vehicles?

Abstract

Automotive travel will change dramatically as technological advances shift more driver functions to computers, cameras, and sensors.  Ultimately, drivers will become a thing of the past and all Americans will become passengers in fully self-driving vehicles.  Automobile ownership may decline as ride-sharing services utilizing autonomous vehicles proliferate.  Fundamental changes in how Americans get from one location to another necessitate a change in how liability is assessed and damages are paid in the event of automobile accidents.   No longer will human error (driver negligence) be the cause of most automobile accidents.  Complexities and costs involved with determining who should be responsible for damages may cause regulators, insurance companies, and consumers to reconsider the benefits of no-fault automobile insurance.  Revised no-fault automobile insurance can provide fair compensation while keeping uncertainty about liability from deterring the advancement and implementation of autonomous vehicle technologies.