Study on automated driving: Insurers hardly see any relief
Created: 01/26/2022, 12:14 p.m
By: Sebastian Oppenheimer
Automated driving functions are likely to lead to less damage to cars in the future.
Nevertheless, compensation payments from motor vehicle insurers will only decrease moderately up to 2040
Berlin – With the increasing spread of assistance systems, cars are becoming safer.
As a study published by the General Association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV) predicts, this will also lead to fewer damages to vehicles - and thus to a reduction in compensation payments from insurers.
However, the authors of the study "Automated Driving - Effects on Claims Expenditure by 2040" expect these costs to fall only moderately over the next two decades, as reported by 24auto.de.
Study on automated driving: Hardly any relief for insurers
Compared to the total output of 25 billion euros in 2019, a decline of only 12 percent is forecast for 2040.
In the case of liability insurance in particular, compensation could fall by 17 percent, while comprehensive insurance – which regulates damage to one’s own car – is expected to fall by just 7 percent.
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More and more vehicles are now equipped with extensive assistance systems.
(Iconic image) © Panthermedia/Imago
Study on automated driving: No impact on damage such as marten bites
The assistants that can prevent damage to vehicles include, for example, parking and maneuvering assistants, emergency braking assistants, lane departure warning and lane change assistants, so-called "highway pilots" and similar systems for city and country roads.
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The study cites several factors as reasons for this moderate decline.
According to this, assistance systems such as a highway pilot have no influence on many types of damage such as marten bites or rockfalls.
Under practical conditions, assistants also prevent less damage than in theory, because the systems do not always work reliably under real conditions, such as bad weather.
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Study on automated driving: technology spreads slowly
In addition, the study assumes that the systems will only spread gradually.
Two scenarios were calculated here: One assumes a comparatively sluggish spread - and is based on the introduction of the ABS system in the 1970s: Here it is assumed that the technology will be introduced in around 40 percent of vehicles after 20 years .
The somewhat faster scenario is based on the introduction of the ESP system from 1995: According to this, the new technology would be on board in around 80 percent of vehicles after 20 years.
The additional technology also drives up the costs of repair services, as shown by the windshield example, which is 25 percent more expensive in cars with assistance systems.
After all, the authors of the study assume that the number of vehicles in Germany will continue to grow, increasing by a good three percent to 46.5 million insured cars by 2040.
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