Anthony Levandowski is aware of his reputation. One of the most controversial figures in autonomous driving, his background has been well-covered, from building the Ghostrider motorcycle that competed in the DARPA Grand Challenge in 2004 and 2005, to his work on Google's self-driving car.

China's vehicle insurers can expect huge disruption to their traditional business models, as the era of autonomous driving, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) continues to accelerate, a new study claims. Three-quarters of insurers expect vehicle premiums to be included in the price tags of cars while more than 60 per cent expect a drop in premiums collected from car owners, once self-driving models becomes commonplace on our roads, said a joint report published between the Insurance Society of China and Fudan University, released on Sunday. From damage assessment to the actual buying of insurance cover, AI is playing a far-reaching role in reshaping the country's car insurance sector, said market veterans commenting on the findings. "AI is casting a growing influence on insurance practitioners," said Yao Qinghai, chairman of the Insurance Society, speaking in Shanghai. "We urge the industry to get better prepared for a changing landscape, as many jobs could be replaced." The report was based on the views of 47 industry experts from insurers, regulators and fintech companies.