AEB Real World Validation Using UK Motor Insurance Claims Data

City Safety is a low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB) technology, first made available as standard by Volvo on their XC60 model series, and released in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2008. This technology has since been made available on a growing number of models, including the high volume seller Volkswagen Golf 7. This paper presents an analysis of the impact of AEB in the UK on claim losses using real world Insurer claims data. Statistical regression was used to compare the claims losses for the XC60 to that of a SUV control cohort of vehicles without any such system, and quantify any AEB effects identified. The influences of calendar year and vehicle age on claim risk were accounted for in the analysis. Estimated claim frequencies for the XC60 were lower than those of the control cohort, in all liability types: 8% lower for Third Party Damage, 6% lower for Own Damage, and 21% lower for Third Party Injury. More recently this approach has been employed to compare claim frequencies for the Golf 7 with the Front Assist AEB system with that of a Small Family car control cohort of vehicles, with similar qualitative results observed from an analysis of the initial data available. Furthermore a study of claim damage severity based around claim costs and repair times estimated lower severity levels for the XC60 relative to control cohorts, for own damage liability, of the order of 10%-15%. This study is the first of its kind using UK claims and indicates the potential benefit of AEB technology. Further statistical analysis is intended with additional risk information for the XC60 and Golf 7, and other AEB study vehicles.