The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) says organisations trialling highly automated vehicles should have at least $20 million in public liability insurance.

It says compulsory third party (CTP) schemes may not provide adequate coverage because they require a driver to be “operating” the vehicle, to ascertain fault in a crash.

ICA makes this and several other recommendations in its submission on the National Transport Commission’s proposed guidelines for driverless vehicle trials.

It also wants insurers to have access to crash data to ascertain the technology’s risk profile.

“In particular, insurers require data relating to the frequency and nature of collisions, the conditions and environment in which collisions occur and the extent of damage,” the council says.

It warns that if insurers cannot access crash data there will be fewer products and “prohibitively expensive” premiums for automated vehicles.

ICA says it is keen to work with the commission and various stakeholders to ensure insurance issues do not impede the adoption of a technology it believes will “dramatically reduce vehicle damage, injury and death”.