Despite the provincial government launching a pilot program early this year to allow for the testing of driverless cars in Ontario, the region has reservations about the technology, particularly when it comes to determining liability during a collision.
The
Insurance Bureau of Canada told
680 News that it has not spoken with the Ministry of Transportation regarding driverless cars, but has admitted that the introduction of such technology would impact the insurance business.
“We are looking at this file. But this could actually change the way people and vehicles are insured in the future,” said IBC spokesperson Steve Kee. “If I drive into the back of an autonomous vehicle, I’m at fault. If for some reason this vehicle drives into me, the rules in Ontario would be, it’s at fault.”
Ontario is also keeping a close eye on an ongoing investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration related to a collision in Florida last May involving a Tesla Model S and a transport truck.
According to Tesla, the sensors connected to the car’s autopilot system failed to detect the truck as it turned into the path of the vehicle, resulting in a crash that took the life of the Tesla driver.
680 News likened Tesla’s autopilot function to an advanced cruise control mode, but clarified that it is nothing like the autopilot function used in airplanes.
“It’s far more complex on the roads because of close proprieties, more vehicles, more obstructions and more decisions that have to be made,” remarked 680News traffic reporter Darryl Dahmer.
The province is also concerned that its occasionally severe weather conditions could hamper the launch of driverless cars.
“It’s one thing in California, you’ve got perfect road conditions and you can do all these things. It’s another thing to be dealing with this north of Barrie in January,” Kee explained. “We warn people about black ice, we see pools of water on the road. Would an autonomous vehicle be able to sense something and then be able to adjust a braking situation, which at times can vary depending on the condition?”
Provincial officials said that the government does not have plans to retrain or retest drivers once driverless technology is adopted. They also said that they will not mandate driver education by manufacturers.
Barrie Kirk of the Canadian Automated Vehicles Centre of Excellence, however, disagrees with the provincial government’s stance. Kirk believes that misconceptions and overestimations about what driverless cars are capable of can put people in danger, and thus drivers must be educated.
Related stories:
Morning Briefing: Tesla crash could delay driverless car roll-out
Who is liable for insurance in a driverless car?
