You can now buy UK car insurance for self-driving cars

A UK insurance policy has launched what it believes to be the first policy aimed at drivers with autonomous features within their cars.

The policy from Adrian Flux insurance will help to cover those with features like auto parking and anti-lock braking (ABS).

Tesla cars, for example, feature an Autopilot system that offers automatic parallel parking as well as lane changing and speed management systems.

Gerry Bucke GM of Adrian Flux, said: “We understand this driverless policy to be the first of its kind in the UK – and possibly the world.

“More than half of new cars sold last year featured autonomous safety technology, such as self-parking or ABS, which effectively either take control or take decisions on behalf of the driver. And it’s only going to continue. Driverless technology will become increasingly common in our cars over the next few years.”

Related: Best self-driving tech from the Geneva Motor Show

Drivers owning cars with autonomous technology will probably receive cheaper policies based on the assumption that 90 per cent of road deaths are caused by human errors.

Drivers will also be covered for the failure to install software updates and packages, failures in GPS or operating system failure. Also, and here’s a new one, they’ll be covered if a car gets hacked.

Bucke told The Guardian: “We already provide discounts for cars fitted with assistive technology, such as autonomous braking, as it has been proved to reduce accidents, and therefore claims.”

The policy, Bucke said, is likely to evolve as driverless tech continues to develop.