Thanks to autonomous vehicles like Waymo and self-driving features in cars like Teslas, what was once a futuristic fantasy is now part of many Americans’ daily lives. If the idea of entrusting your safety to a computer gives you pause, however, you’re not alone. Forbes reports that 93% of Americans are concerned about driverless and self-driving cars.
While accidents are still relatively rare, self-driving and driverless cars are involved in accidents at nearly double the rate of human-operated vehicles. Here’s what you need to know about this new technology.
How autonomous vehicles work
Driverless and self-driving cars use a combination of sensors, cameras, radar and artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate roads and make driving decisions. These vehicles range from semi-autonomous systems, where the driver still needs to monitor the road and intervene if necessary, to fully autonomous vehicles that require no human input.
The goal behind self-driving cars is to eliminate human error, which is responsible for the vast majority of traffic accidents. In theory, these vehicles can react faster, make more precise decisions and maintain constant awareness of their surroundings, making roads safer for everyone.
Determining liability in an accident
Since autonomous vehicles are relatively new, there aren’t a lot of laws governing accident liability. Generally, insurance companies and courts use the rules of negligence to determine accident liability. In a traditional car accident, liability typically falls on the driver who was at fault. However, self-driving cars add another layer of complexity.
If a human driver was in control of the vehicle at the time of the accident, they might still be held responsible. This is especially likely if they failed to take appropriate action when needed. For example, if the car was in semi-autonomous mode and the driver was distracted, the driver could be found liable in whole or in part.
On the other hand, if the vehicle was fully autonomous and the accident occurred due to a failure of the technology, the manufacturer of the self-driving system or the car itself might be held accountable. This would be a products liability claim, where the injured party argues that the accident was caused by a defect in the vehicle’s design, manufacturing or software.
Other parties that could be liable include companies responsible for maintaining the vehicle, developers and third-party vendors who provide components or software for the car’s autonomous systems. Furthermore, if the accident occurred due to external factors, such as poor road maintenance or malfunctioning traffic signals, government entities or contractors responsible for those conditions could also be responsible.
Ultimately, if you’re involved in an autonomous car accident, it’s important to work with a skilled attorney at the Law Offices of Tim Misny to protect your rights.
Talk to an Ohio car accident attorney today
The Law Offices of Tim Misny can help you with your personal injury claim. When you’re the victim of negligence or recklessness, I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call my office at (877) 614-9524 so that I can evaluate your case right away.
