What Do Insurers Do About Autonomous Vehicles?
Investors are still going gaga for autonomous technology, as illustrated by the massive $1.2 billion funding round for Wayve, the UK startup. But for autonomous vehicles to work long-term, they need support from regulators and insurers, and right now insurers don’t quite know what to think about them.
Plus, Waymo bounces back from its New York rejection by entering two other U.S. markets, used GM batteries are powering homes in Texas, and the “bikelash” comes to Salt Lake City. Finally, a prominent Canadian commentator says America is pushing his country to embrace Chinese EVs.
What you need to know
Who needs New York? Fresh off getting the cold shoulder from New York political leaders, Waymo announces plans to begin testing in Chicago and Charlotte, N.C. The Alphabet-owned robotaxi service now operates in 10 U.S. cities.
A mega AV raise: Wayve, the British autonomous tech startup, raises $1.2 billion in a round that attracted the likes of Nvidia, Microsoft and Uber. Wayve describes its approach to autonomous technology as “contrarian.” It is based on a self-learning neural network that, unlike most other AV systems, lacks a high-definition map.
In the latest CoMotion Innovators Q&A: Nick Perloff-Giles and Jake Laffoley chat with Ron Thaniel, Senior Director for Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Zoox.
From the White House and the Department of Transportation to advising mayors and governors, Ron Thaniel has spent his career shaping transportation policy for more vibrant, sustainable cities. Now, as Senior Director for Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Zoox, he's on the front lines of the autonomous revolution. Discover what drew this urbanist to Zoox, how their purpose-built, bidirectional robotaxi is transforming on-demand mobility in cities like Las Vegas and San Francisco, and Thaniel's vision for a future where autonomous vehicles complement public transit, reshape urban planning, and give commuters back valuable time. Read now.
A Bolt of life for the Texas grid: Batteries that used to power GM EVs are now helping to prop up the Texas electrical grid, which came perilously close to collapsing during a deadly winter storm five years ago.
How does insurance for AVs work? David Zipper talks to a car insurance expert about how insurers are assessing AV risk. David Kidd, vice president for vehicle research at the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, said that while there is a growing body of evidence that AVs crash less per mile than humans, but it’s too early to say whether they are safer “overall.”
CoMotion MIAMI ‘26 isn’t just an event, it’s where investors, public agencies and industry partners align on funding, pilots, deployments, and policy. Don’t miss out on the 7th, and most impactful edition yet: Urban Mobility in the Age of AI, on April 28–29.
🌟 Join the all-star line up:
- Mayor Eileen Higgins, City of Miami
- Stacy Miller, Director, Miami-Dade County DTPW
- Ray Martinez, COO, FIFA World Cup 2026 (Miami Host Committee)
- Benjamin Limmer, CEO & Managing Director, QC MetroLINK
- Aileen Bouclé, Executive Director, Miami-Dade TPO
- Andy Boenau, Director of Transportation, City of Richmond
What we’re reading
China tempts Canada: Julian Karaguesian, a Canadian economic commentator, writes that Trump’s hostile trade posture towards our northern neighbor, including efforts to repatriate Canadian auto jobs, gives Canada all the more reason to embrace China’s burgeoning EV industry.
