Allstate, Stanford Partner for Autonomous Vehicle Research

Dec. 16, 2016—Allstate Insurance Company recently announced a multiyear autonomous vehicle research agreement with the Intelligent Systems Laboratory at Stanford University.

“We are proactively embracing and participating in the evolving landscape around personal transportation through our work with world-class institutions at the forefront of this automotive revolution,” said Howard Hayes, Allstate's senior vice president of product innovation, in a statement. “We aim to learn about, and contribute to the algorithm research, software platforms and the datasets, tools and standards related to connected and autonomous vehicles.”

The research project includes machine learning, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicle systems. Stanford professor Mykel Kochenderfe will serve as the principal investigator during the three-year project. Sunil Chintakindi, Allstate's director of innovation and research, will lead the project for the insurer.

“We see an autonomous vehicle future more as a matter of when, not if, and we want to be prepared," said Chintakindi.