Exactly right. A self driving car is not something easily done without a fairly sophisticated control system, part of which can be providing insurance compliance to 'electronic checkpoints' (you fail - you park). The new smart kids doing data mining can find those nuggets of information that allow their particular underwriters to make a better profit than someone else's. The question of liability can now be fought where it should be - between insurance providers.

That said, I'm sure there's already legislation being prepared to make it an easier thing for the favored than for others.

Yes. If self-driving cars significantly reduce accidents, insurance companies can use it as incentive to lower rates. The rates for cars that can only be driven manually might even skyrocket.