September 2019

In order to provide a fair and correct explanation of accidents, even in modern vehicles, Allianz is calling for better transparency and uniform standards for data stored in cars. At the 7th Allianz Autotag on September 19th , 2019 at the Allianz Center for Technology, Allianz board members and experts discussed digital accident reporting with representatives of the mobility industry.

Allianz Germany CEO, Dr. Klaus-Peter Röhler, who gave insights on the future of mobility and the role of the insurance industry in his welcome speech. Afterwards the cooperation between ADAC and Allianz, within the framework of ADAC auto insurance, was presented and Frank Sommerfeld, board of private property insurance business, informed about current developments of E-scooters and BonusDrive. 

After the keynote of Joachim Müller, Management Board Allianz Deutschland, experts from Allianz, the automotive industry, science and the authorities discussed the main topic of the day - digital accident clarification for modern vehicles. The relevance of this topic was illustrated by a live crash of a car on a pedestrian dummy initiated by the AZT team on the court of the Allianz Center for Technology. 

The requirements of the Allianz regarding transparency and uniform standards for data stored in cars and further details on the subject can be found in a published press release.

Allianz's key positions on digital accident reporting:

• Allianz calls for more transparency on the vehicle data stored in the vehicle in the event of a traffic accident. Vehicle owners must be able to easily and uncomplicatedly obtain information about the data stored in their cars.

• The standards currently being developed by the EU for future accident data memories and driving mode memories must be suitable for solving traffic accidents involving modern vehicles. A short frame of a few seconds before and after the accident is sufficient.

• In particular interventions by driver assistance systems must be stored if they are closely related to an accident. This is necessary because driver assistance systems are increasingly influencing the outcome of accidents. 

• In the case of damage of property it should be up to the person concerned to decide whether his vehicle's data should be used for accident clarification. If people are injured or killed, or if it is a criminal offence, the public interest in clarifying the question of guilt prevails. In this case the data may also be used against the will of the person concerned.

• Allianz recommends an independent trustee to whom the data required for accident clarification will be transferred for highly automated and fully automated vehicles. No interested party should have exclusive access to this data - neither one of the parties involved in the accident nor the vehicle manufacturer or insurer.