Advancements in vehicle crash avoidance technology are helping to reduce accidents, which in turn reduce insurance claims. As reported in Claims Journal, Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, writes that fully driverless vehicles may be years away, but crash avoidance technology currently used in vehicles, such as automatic braking and forward collision warning systems, is already making a dent in insurance claims. “Institute research finds that automatic braking systems are reducing property damage liability claims by around 14 percent.” These systems are often offered as optional features, but Volvo makes its auto-brake system available as a standard feature.
According to Lund, insurers have started a $30 million project to expand the Institute’s vehicle research center facility in Virginia, which will allow researchers to more rigorously evaluate the newer technology.
The Institute’s Q&A discussion has more information.
