Are driverless cars the road to cheaper motoring? The futuristic vehicles coming to a street near you – possibly as early as next year

Driverless vehicles are coming to a street near you – possibly as early as next year.

Will they usher in a world in which empty cars collect you from a rain-soaked station, pick up the children from school, and wait to drive merry couples home from Sunday lunch in the pub?

Probably not for another decade or so. But in the first few years at least, an interesting impact of the driverless car on families may be on the pocket, rather than on lifestyles.

At an industry event last week to show off the cutting-edge technology being knitted together to create the fully-fledged driverless car, debate centred on what the developments will mean for owners in terms of insurance and the law.

Vision of the future: But driverless vehicles are on their way - possibly as early as next year

If a car is in an accident who or what is to blame if there is no driver at the wheel?

The answer is that insurance will have to be modified to include a large element of product liability cover so that a claim can be made against the motor manufacturer rather than a driver if a fault leads to a crash.

David Williams, managing director of underwriting at insurer AXA, which is involved in the Venturer consortium, one of three Government-backed groups in the UK racing to get the technology on the road, says that in the long run car owners’ insurance should be cheaper – some believe as much as four-fifths less.

He says: ‘Some 93 per cent of accidents on our roads are caused by human error and it is thought that driverless cars will reduce this number by 50 per cent. If accident levels fall then so will premiums.’

Williams concedes that premiums could initially go higher since the cost of manufacturing these cars of the future – with technology that includes radar, lidar (laser sensory technology) and sophisticated software – will be high.

All terrain: BAE's Wildcat is a standard looking four-wheel drive equiipped with radar and lidar

He adds: ‘But the costs of sensor technology is coming down fast so prices of the vehicles will drop too.’

Prototypes of some of the space age cars were on display last week at an event hosted by Venturer to explain how these vehicles are likely to fit into everyday life.

The Wildcat, from BAE Systems, is a standard looking four-wheel drive that has been ‘pimped up’ as driverless with radar and lidar, with a screen inside reminiscent of an aeroplane cockpit display.

Another offering, a more futuristic Ultra pod, conjures up the robot-driven taxi of science fiction film Total Recall.

It will soon be tested on public roads to gauge people’s reaction to driverless technology and is the ultimate in letting you sit back and relax on a trip as there is no steering wheel to grab.

Similar electric pods are used at Heathrow Terminal 5 carrying drivers to and from the airport car park, but they run on a set route and are not totally autonomous.

Although several types of driverless car will be put through their paces on selected urban roads and motorways as the UK strives to be a leader in the technology, it may be 15 years until parents will be able to forgo the school run.

Williams Formula 1, also part of the Venturer consortium, presented onlookers with an autonomous driver simulator aimed at giving passengers some of the experience of ‘driving’ hands-free.

Back seat: Sally Hamilton in the Ultra pod which conjures up the robot-driven taxi of science fiction film Total Recall

Passengers get a sense of the car effortlessly switching from lane to lane and dealing with everyday hazards such as an overtaking motorbike and a pedestrian, as well as the usual traffic lights and roundabouts.

Like a theme park ride, though, it left this reporter a little queasy.

With cars of the future programmed to stick to speed limits, drive perfectly without the gas-guzzling driving techniques of a boy racer and follow all the rules of the road, there are other potential financial attractions for car owners.

Traffic infringements will be fewer and fuel consumption less – all good news for family budgets.

It may eventually even mean goodbye to driving lessons, tests and licences. And it could be liberating in other ways, allowing children, frail older folk or those suffering a driving phobia to enjoy the freedom of the open road.

But the driving test will not be redundant any time soon, experts say, as in the early years it is expected that cars will still need to have a competent driver with the ability to take manual control if the autonomous system fails.

SEVEN WAYS (NEW AND OLD) TO CUT YOUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS TODAY

HOW TECHNOLOGY CUTS PREMIUMS NOW

High-tech cars of the future will bring cheaper insurance, but even today’s technology is driving down premiums.

FIT A BLACK BOX: Telematics, where a ‘black box’ is installed in a car to monitor driving behaviour and mileage, can cut costs by as much as half after a year of good driving.

INSTALL A DASH CAM: Placed on dashboards these cameras can offer proof if a third party causes an accident and some insurers offer a premium discount of 10 per cent for using one.

CHOOSE A CAR CAREFULLY: A vehicle in groups one to three (out of 50), which are the smallest with engines typically 1.0 to 1.4 litres and whose parts are easier to replace, can cut premiums. Popular models include the Citroen C1, VW Fox, Vauxhall Corsa and Renault Twingo. Avoid old bangers as newer cars have better safety features, which insurers prefer.

DRIVE A CAR WITH AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING: Graeme Trudgill of the British Insurance Brokers’ Association says cars with this technology – designed to prevent low-speed crashes and reduce the severity of higher-speed ones (and which will form part of the driverless motor designs) – are rated less risky by insurers, so drivers pay less.

…AND TRADITIONAL WAYS TO SAVE

INCREASE VOLUNTARY EXCESS: Comparison website Gocompare says this can cut premiums – but warns drivers to be sure they can afford to contribute more in the event of a claim.

A spokesman says: ‘Bear in mind that there may be a compulsory excess applied on top of the voluntary amount, so drivers need to know what the total excess is.’

ADD ANOTHER DRIVER: Putting a second driver on a policy who has a clean licence and several years’ claim-free driving can also reduce costs for an inexperienced driver. But putting this person down as the main driver when they are not is fraudulent.

CHECK CREDIT SCORE: Biba’s Trudgill says insurers will look at an applicant’s credit score. A good rating suggests a customer will be a responsible car owner – and should lead to a good value premium. Check credit scores at Experian, Equifax or Callcredit.

Sitting in traffic after a long day is hardly the most stimulating

But where do the laws of the road stand on snoozing behind the while your car does all the driving?

That's the question doing the online rounds this week, after a video emerged a man in a Tesla - a vehicle known for its Autopilot feature - seemingly asleep while bumper-to-bumper.

The short clip shows the driver with his head tilted against the window and with his eyes shut, as the car slowly moves along in the traffic.

Not the best place to nap: Video that shows a man apparently asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla has ignited debate over the safety of driving in Autopilot

According to Tech Insider, the Autopilot feature uses 13 ultrasonic sensors to help Tesla cars steer themselves and change lanes, avoid obstacles and barriers, and even park themselves.

However the Autopilot still requires input from the driver, usually something as small as hands on the steering wheel.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly warned drivers not to sleep behind the wheel, stressing that is not what the feature was created for.

The company released a statement to Tech Insider about the 'snooze video', reiterating what Musk has previously said.

'Tesla Autopilot is designed to provide a hands-on experience to give drivers more confidence behind the wheel, increase their safety on the road, and make highway driving more enjoyable,' the statement said,

'Autopilot is by far the most advanced such system on the road, but it does not turn a Tesla into an autonomous vehicle and does not allow the driver to abdicate responsibility.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly warned drivers not to sleep behind the wheel, stressing that is not what the feature was created for, but to help drivers operate the car in an easier fashion

Moving right along: The Tesla idles along at a typical traffic speed as the driver appears to take a nap

The statement continued: 'Since the release of Autopilot, we’ve continuously educated customers on the use of the feature, reminding them that they’re responsible for remaining alert and present when using Autopilot and must be prepared to take control at all times.