Compulsory third party (CTP) insurance schemes across Australia should be amended to cover automated vehicles, Australia’s transport ministers agreed at a meeting in Adelaide earlier this month.

Members of the Transport and Infrastructure Council (TIC), who include Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and state and territory transport ministers, recommended governments undertake a review of their CTP and national injury insurance schemes to identify any eligibility barriers to accessing these schemes by occupants of an automated vehicle, or by those involved in a crash with one.

“Council agreed to advocate that existing motor accident injury and insurance schemes be expanded to cover crashes caused by automated vehicles and states and territories should review and amend their schemes,” the latest TIC Communique states.

The reforms should be nationally consistent wherever possible, the TIC said. There is strong support from governments, insurers, manufacturers and other stakeholders for a consistent approach across Australia to automated vehicles and related regulation.

The TIC also recognises automated vehicle technology will generate new data and notes the importance of safeguarding privacy.

A submission from IAG late last year recommended consumers be offered degrees of opt-in when agreeing to supply their data under consistent nationwide laws.

“The importance of national harmonisation and benchmarking of standards for all aspects of a CAV (Connected and Automated Vehicle) transport system cannot be overstated,” IAG’s submission says.