Insurance provider Travelers hosted an event to discuss the evolution of AVs and potential effects on the insurance industry.
The event was hosted at Travelers’ Hartford, Connecticut, office on Friday, January 10, bringing together company executives and transportation executives from the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and consulting firm Ellis & Associates.
Travelers said research suggests autonomous driving technology will lead to fewer crashes, and that collisions will result in costly repairs and raise questions about liability, compensation and data collection.
Michael Klein, executive vice president and president of personal insurance at Travelers, said, “As a leading auto insurer, we have unique insights to contribute to the framework that will bring autonomous technology to our roads. By convening experts who can add their research and perspectives, we will address some of the important questions that need to be answered as the transportation industry evolves.”
Alongside Klein, other speakers included Peter Sexton, associate group general counsel, Travelers; Kevin Smith, executive vice president and chief innovation officer, Travelers; Bryan Casey, legal fellow, CARS; David Harkey, president, IIHS; and Dr Stephen Zoepf, chief of policy development, Ellis & Associates.