Robotaxi insurance: three myths and what the record shows

Not insurance advice · Published 10 November 2026 · Every linked status opens the claim in the Fact Ledger.

Robotaxi insurance attracts confident numbers. Most do not survive a check.

Myth 1: all self-driving cars crash 70% less

The figure comes from a study of Waymo's fleet, which found 68% fewer police-reportable crash involvements Confirmed. Applying it to every autonomous vehicle is not supported Discredited.

Myth 2: liability just moves to the manufacturer

It does not Discredited. Liability is layered across owner, operator, network, manufacturer, servicer and insurers Corroborated. Florida's statute, for example, lets the insurance obligation fall on the owner, the network or both Confirmed.

Myth 3: we know what a policy costs

The $400 to $800 a month range in circulation is a planning model, not a quote Scenario. A $5,000 average premium attributed to Goldman Sachs could not be found in its published research Unknown.

What is real

Specialty policies covering software, hardware, cyber and operational failure do exist Confirmed. What a Cybercab policy costs will not be known until owner terms exist Unknown.

Tesla's own safety numbers

Tesla reports zero injuries and zero airbag deployments across 3.1 million autonomous miles Tesla claim. Read the method: it counts only collisions where the Robotaxi made first contact, and it leaves out earlier crashes that happened with a safety monitor on board Reported. Waymo's record covers far more miles Reported.