Insurance News - Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Here are the leading auto insurance headlines from ONTARIO AUTO INSURANCE TOPICS ON TWITTER for Tuesday, September 30, 2014:

• An engineer has developed a system that uses a small black box, plugged in under a car’s steering column, to block incoming and outgoing texts and prevent phone calls from reaching the driver.
• A Kansas City hospital allegedly didn’t file health insurance claims for some patients injured in auto accidents, which allowed it to avoid the deep discounts typically required by health insurers. It could then seek more money for its medical services, mainly from auto insurance settlements.
• Audi of America became the first company to receive an official California DMV permit to test driver-less vehicles on the state’s public roads, followed by competing automaker Mercedes-Benz and Internet giant Google.
• Is using a smartwatch behind the wheel a ticketable offence under the country's distracted driving laws?  Both MTO and the OPP are unsure.
• Typical insurance policies won't cover people participating in the "sharing economy" by renting out their their car for a driving service, Oregon's insurance commissioner warns.