In late 2021, Aviva, a leading UK insurer, and the Darwin Innovation Group initiated the UK’s longest-running self-driving passenger service, the Darwin Autonomous Shuttle. Now, after two years of operation, the partnership has grown to include the University of Salford, adding a second shuttle to the service.
The new shuttle, mirroring its predecessor, has no driver or steering wheel. It navigates using cameras, LiDAR sensors, 3D maps, and sophisticated self-driving software. The addition of a second vehicle allows for a deeper understanding of how these autonomous vehicles interact in real-world scenarios. Both shuttles operate at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, supported by the European Space Agency and the UK Space Agency.
Through this collaboration, the University of Salford aims to gain expertise in autonomous vehicle operation and eventually deploy these vehicles within the Manchester area. Aviva continues to provide insurance coverage for both shuttles.
Since the Darwin Autonomous Shuttle’s launch, Darwin has shared service data with Aviva to better understand how to insure connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs). This new second shuttle will further enrich the data and promote the development of new insurance products for autonomous vehicles.
Daniela Petrovic, co-founder of Darwin, highlighted the benefits brought by the second vehicle: “We are testing both vehicles all the time, and improvements in one are immediately deployed in the other.” The project is also exploring on-demand journeys, where passengers can request a shuttle pickup from a designated stop along the route. This could pave the way for wider deployment of on-demand passenger CAVs in the future, cutting down reliance on personal vehicles, especially in more rural regions.
Tom Pitney, Head of Motor at Aviva, stated, “The addition of a second shuttle to the autonomous vehicle trial marks an important milestone in our five-year partnership. This trial will give us access to a wealth of rich data, providing valuable insights into claims, underwriting, risk and product areas. This will enable us to be at the forefront of future mobility and ensure that we have products ready to insure the vehicles on our roads as they evolve and change.”
Daniela Petrovic, co-founder of Darwin, noted, “As the transportation and insurance industries are interwoven, it’s important for insurers to develop as transport evolves. With the expertise we’ve developed through over two years of autonomous vehicle operation, we’re working closely with Aviva to help make widespread autonomous transport a practical reality.”
