Latest Personal Auto Headlines
All the headlines from our Personal Auto Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Uber Scoffs at Google Spinoff’s Claims in Self-Driving Car Case
Apr 10 2017 // Uber is scoffing at claims that its expansion into self-driving cars hinges on trade secrets stolen from a Google spinoff, arguing that its ride-hailing service has been working on potentially superior technology. The...
New York Begins New Push to Stop Distracted Driving
Apr 10 2017 // New York is launching a statewide campaign against distracted driving as part of April’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said state and local police will be stepping up patrols and...
Driver Privacy at Risk when Telematics Data Stored in the Cloud: Researchers
Apr 10 2017 // Drivers’ private information can be compromised when stored in the cloud for usage-based insurance (UBI) programs, according to researchers. Using connected-device, or telematics, functions in vehicles, UBI programs...
Florida to Help Foster Children Get Drivers’ Licenses, Insurance
Apr 7 2017 // Children in Florida foster care will get help obtaining a driver’s license and auto insurance under a bill heading to Gov. Rick Scott. The House unanimously passed the bill Wednesday that would make permanent a pilot...
Outlook Good for Texting-While-Driving Ban, Texas Lawmakers Say
Apr 5 2017 // Note this article originally appeared in the Texas Tribune. After pushing the issue for nearly a decade, key lawmakers in the Texas Legislature are optimistic that a statewide texting-while-driving ban is within...
Driver of Truck in Texas Bus Crash Admits Texting Behind the Wheel
Apr 3 2017 // A witness says the driver of a pickup truck that collided with a church minibus in rural Texas, killing 13 people, acknowledged he had been texting while driving — highlighting the dangers of sending messages on...
Slice Labs Testing Pay-Per-Use Insurance App with Rideshare Drivers
Apr 3 2017 // Insurance tech startup Slice Labs has created a pay-per-use rideshare insurance app and is now testing the technology with a select set of rideshare drivers. Plans call for testing the technology and algorithms with a...
MAPFRE Insurance to Provide Coverage for Massachusetts Rideshare Drivers
Mar 31 2017 // In an important move aimed at protecting Massachusetts drivers, MAPFRE Insurance will be among the first insurers in the state to offer gap coverage to auto insurance policyholders using their personal cars to drive for...
Personal Auto Rate Hikes Not Keeping Up with Losses: Fitch
Mar 30 2017 // U.S. personal auto underwriters increased premium rates “significantly” in 2016. But here’s the thing: it wasn’t enough. Loss trends are still outpacing rate changes. Also, the U.S. P/C industry...
Police Report on Uber Self-Driving Car Crash Tells Complex Tale
Mar 30 2017 // A recent crash involving an Uber Technologies Inc. driverless car suggests autonomous software sometimes takes the same risks as the humans it may one day replace. The accident on Friday in Tempe, Arizona, caused no major...
Self-Driving Car Crash in Arizona A Reminder about Regulation Challenges
Mar 29 2017 // A crash that caused an Uber self-driving SUV to flip onto its side in a Phoenix suburb serves as a stark reminder of the challenges surrounding autonomous vehicles in Arizona, a state that has gone all-in to entice the...
Colorado State Patrol Crack Down to Increase Driver Safety in Rural Areas
Mar 28 2017 // The Colorado State Patrol is cracking down on drivers in the state’s rural areas who are caught behind the wheel without a seat belt. The Denver Post reported the increased enforcement in rural Colorado started...
How Parents’ Perceptions Can Influence Teens Drivers’ Licensure
Mar 28 2017 // Preparing teens for safe independent driving could save lives, though historically there has been very little research to guide parents of teens with learner permits. A new study from University of Alabama at Birmingham...
Oklahoma Senate OKs Impaired Driver Accountability Bill
Mar 27 2017 // The Oklahoma Senate has unanimously passed legislation to change how first-time driving under the influence (DUI) offenses are handled in Oklahoma. Senate Bill 643, also known as the Impaired Driver Elimination Act 2...
4 Million Driving Jobs at Risk from Autonomous Vehicles: Report
Mar 27 2017 // As many as four million truck, bus, delivery and taxi driving jobs could be lost if fully autonomous vehicle technology is adopted in a short period of time, according to a new report. With more than 30...
Tennessee Lawmakers Reject Bill Shielding Drivers Who Hit Protesters
Mar 24 2017 // A Tennessee committee has voted down a bill to protect drivers from lawsuits if they hit protesters who are blocking traffic. On Wednesday, the House Civil Justice Subcommittee voted against the legislation by Republican...
AIG Seeks Best Drivers in Singapore with New Smartphone App
Mar 23 2017 // AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd. (AIG Singapore) has launched a nationwide search to find Singapore’s best drivers with “AIG On the Go,” a telematics-based smartphone application. “AIG On the...
Washington Commissioner Supporting Strict Distracted Driving Bills
Mar 22 2017 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is advocating for two distracted driving bills that the state Legislature is considering. House Bill 1371, sponsored by Rep. Jessyn Farrell, and Senate Bill 5289, sponsored...
Technology Being Blamed for Driving Up Massachusetts Car Insurance Rates
Mar 22 2017 // Auto insurance rates in Massachusetts are on the rise and technology is to blame. Industry experts tell The Boston Globe that drivers distracted by smartphones are crashing more often and those cars are now more expensive...
Seattle Law Allowing Driver Unionization Survives Uber Legal Attack
Mar 20 2017 // Seattle’s first-in-the-nation law allowing Uber Technologies Inc. drivers to unionize survived a legal challenge by the ride-hailing company. Washington state Judge Beth Andrus rejected Uber’s arguments that...
