The self-driving car will be very popular, very quickly in Michigan.  The reason may surprise you.

The days of getting in your car and telling it where to drive you while you surf Facebook is getting very close.  However, that futuristic convenience is not why we will see an explosion of self-driving vehicles in Michigan.  It's all about the mighty dollar.  More specifically, auto insurance.

According to Insure.com Michigan has the highest auto insurance premiums in the country again,

For the fourth consecutive year, Michigan “wins” for the most expensive state for car insurance. Insure.com’s annual state-by-state comparison of average annual premiums found Michigan’s average premium to be $1,076 higher than the national average annual premium.

The Wolverine State has never been below third place in all the years the study has been conducted. Louisiana moved up to the second spot after placing fourth last year on the expensive list.

That's right, Michiganders pay double the premiums that most US residents pay.

Here's the kicker.  Self-driving cars are reported to be far safer than human drivers.  We could see dramatically cheaper insurance rates for the owner of a self-driving car.  In fact, both the car industry and the insurance industry in questioning who should be responsible for insuring a self-driving car according to NPR.org,

Right now, insurance rates are calculated mostly based on attributes of drivers — their claims histories, driving records and such. Increasingly, some insurers also use apps or devices that allow them to track speeding and other behaviors. Insurers can then offer discounts as rewards for safe driving.

A driverless car changes that model, shifting the insurance toward automakers, and away from drivers or car owners.

There is only one guarantee: there is no stopping technology.  The combination of insurance companies over charging Michigan residents and this new technology that takes human error out of the equation changes the game!


 

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