Autonomous vehicle insurance collaboration between AND-E and Oxa announced
In the heart of the north-east, Sunderland city centre has become a hub for innovation as it hosts the Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle (SAMS) project. The initiative, which took place during the first quarter of 2025, was a collaborative effort between Sunderland City Council and a consortium of six other public and private partners.
The project's primary goal was to explore the safe, efficient, and sustainable potential of autonomous vehicles and generate insights for future deployments. To achieve this, Oxa provided SAMS with an autonomous Ford E-Transit shuttle equipped with its self-driving technology.
The SAMS project was backed by the Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) and Innovate UK, supported by Zenzic. Aioi Nissay Dowa Europe (And-e) played a crucial role in the project, providing bespoke insurance cover for the unique and evolving risks associated with autonomous vehicles.
And-e leveraged its prior experience working with Oxa to innovate protection solutions adapting to the shift in mobility towards autonomy and new drivetrains. The insurance provided for the SAMS project was tailored specifically for the risks associated with autonomy on open roads, marking an advancement from traditional insurance models that rely heavily on historical precedent.
Gavin Jackson, CEO at Oxa, stated that the SAMS project showcased the real-world application of self-driving technology on public roads, marking a significant stride in the widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles. The collaboration between And-e and Oxa is positioned as an ongoing foundation for future autonomous vehicle insurance projects.
Meanwhile, the Darwin Autonomous Shuttle project, a joint venture between Aviva and Darwin Innovation Group, continues to make strides as the longest-running self-driving passenger service in the UK. The project, which began operation two years ago, has been instrumental in paving the way for the adoption of autonomous vehicles in the UK.
Elsewhere, Hyundai is pushing the boundaries of autonomous vehicle technology, aiming to transform the concept of vehicles into personal living spaces. The South Korean automaker is developing a Level 4 autonomous prototype, a significant step towards achieving fully autonomous vehicles.
In the realm of partnerships, Oxbotica has completed integration and demonstration of its autonomous vehicle software with ZF's ProAI, AI hardware, and sensor sets. The company has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ZF to integrate its autonomous driving software with ZF's automotive-grade ProAI compute platform and sensor sets.
The continuous development of autonomous driving technology by companies like Hyundai is changing the way we perceive vehicles, making them more customizable and personalized. The SAMS project and the Darwin Autonomous Shuttle project are clear examples of this shift, demonstrating the potential for autonomous vehicles to revolutionise transportation in the UK and beyond.
References: [1] Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle (SAMS) - Autonomous Vehicle Insurance Solutions (2025). Retrieved from [link] [2] The Darwin Autonomous Shuttle - Pioneering Autonomous Transport in the UK (2023). Retrieved from [link]
- Reinsurance company Aioi Nissay Dowa Europe (And-e) provided bespoke insurance cover for the unique and evolving risks associated with autonomous vehicles in the Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle (SAMS) project, demonstrating innovation in motor insurance.
- The SAMS project, a collaborative effort between Sunderland City Council and partners, explored the safe, efficient, and sustainable potential of autonomous vehicles, using an autonomous Ford E-Transit shuttle equipped with Oxa's self-driving technology.
- The continuous development of autonomous driving technology by companies such as Hyundai is transforming vehicles into personal living spaces, a shift that is evident in projects like the SAMS project and the Darwin Autonomous Shuttle project, which are revolutionising transportation industry.
