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On 8 March, FIA Region I presented the consumer view on liability and automated driving at the Driving Future platform hosted by MEP Ismail Ertug. Region I stressed the need to increase consumer confidence in driverless technologies by guaranteeing safety and swift compensation for traffic victims, quoting results from member Clubs the AA UK and ADAC Germany.
Vehicle manufacturers are progressively implementing more systems that aim to assist drivers, with the ultimate goal to fully replace the human driver. This transition will take time, during which different levels of automation will coexist on our roads, creating challenges for the current insurance model.
Fundamentally, there must be differentiation between lower levels of automation and the higher levels of automation. At the lower levels, up to SAE level 2, driver interaction is required in some capacity and therefore they should remain liable, provided that the systems are properly designed and the driver is aware of the systems’ function, limits and constraints. For higher levels of automation, drivers can be asked to take over only under certain circumstances. In those circumstances, the recording of a limited set of data will be needed to establish liability in case of an accident.
FIA Region I Interim Director General, Laurianne Krid, said: “Drivers need to be properly informed about upcoming automated systems and their responsibilities to make correct use of the technology as it is released. At higher automation levels, drivers expect to be able to engage in other tasks and should, in our view, not be held liable in case of accident or infringement. Limited data recording through a Data Storage Systems should help clarify liability in case of doubt.”
FIA Region I and its Mobility Clubs are working to promote adapted education and training so that drivers acquire knowledge of when and how to use automated features, and to understand the essence of this technology.
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About FIA Region I
The FIA Region I office, based in Brussels, is a consumer body representing 111 Motoring and Touring Clubs and their 38 million members from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The FIA represents the interest of these members as motorists, public transport users, pedestrians and tourists. The FIA’s primary goal is to secure a mobility that is safe, affordable, sustainable and efficient. With these aims in mind, FIA Region I’s work focuses on Road Safety, Consumer Protection, Environmental Protection, and the promotion of Sustainable Motoring. www.fiaregion1.com
