2017 May | Página 3

Work Visa Program
Under Federal Review Autonomous Vehicles Could
Eliminate Up to 4 Million Jobs
The Trump administration has ordered a
review of the H-1B visa program, which
allows U.S. employers to temporarily
employ foreign workers in positions that
require specialized knowledge. Although
the review will not change existing rules
for the visas, the Trump administration
has expressed interest in changing the
approval process from a lottery to a merit-
based system. A new report from the Center for Global Policy Solutions suggests
that as many as 4 million employees nationwide may soon lose their
jobs due to the adoption of autonomous vehicles.
Currently, H-1B visas are used mainly by
technology companies to fill roles that
require an extensive background in
science, engineering or computer
programming. However, critics of the
program believe that it’s also used by
outsourcing firms to flood the system with
applications for lower-paid information
positions, which takes work away from
Americans.
The Trump administration has yet to set a
timeline for changes to the H1-B program.
However, Trump has stated that the visas
should only go to the most skilled and
highest-paid foreign applicants, and never
be used to replace Americans.
Unlike normal vehicles that are operated by human drivers,
autonomous vehicles use advanced sensors to monitor the road and
can run without mandated stops for rest and sleep. And, if
commercial drivers are replaced by these vehicles in the near future,
it could cause an economic ripple effect in regions that rely on
commercial transportation.
More than 30 automakers and technology companies are currently
working on autonomous vehicle technology, including Ford, General
Motors, Tesla, Google and Uber. As a result, the technology is
advancing rapidly, and many companies have already acquired
licenses to test their vehicles on public highways. However, some
experts believe that state and federal regulators will delay the
widespread adoption of commercialized autonomous vehicles.
Auto Insurance Prices Likely to Keep
Rising
Most lines of insurance cycle between soft and hard markets over a
number of years, which has a direct impact on the price of insurance.
The auto insurance market is currently hardening after many years of
a soft market, which has resulted in higher prices for both
commercial and personal auto policies.
Between 2011 and 2016, competition between auto insurance
carriers created a soft, buyer-friendly market. Since then, however,
the high cost of claims and increasing costs of vehicle repairs have
contributed to a noticeable transition in the market.
Contact Marshall & Sterling Insurance today. We can provide you
with resources to help you understand and save on auto insurance,
including our new article, “Coverage Insights – The Hardening Auto
Insurance Market.”
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