{"id":504,"date":"2024-05-07T14:54:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-07T14:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress-660259-4820460.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=504"},"modified":"2024-09-17T08:14:09","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T08:14:09","slug":"car-accidents-caused-by-autonomous-vehicles-whos-liable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justinmintonlaw.com\/car-accidents-caused-by-autonomous-vehicles-whos-liable\/","title":{"rendered":"Car Accidents Caused by Autonomous Vehicles: Who\u2019s Liable?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Over the past decade, there has been a boom in emerging technologies<\/a> and implicitly, an increase in the study and use of autonomous vehicle technology. Companies like Google and Tesla have been developing and testing these so-called \u201cself-driving cars.\u201d Despite the many safety features put in place, these vehicles have their flaws. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2022 study<\/a> by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported many Tesla car accidents. As of May 15, 2022, some 392 Level 2 ADAS-related accidents (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) had already been reported to the NHTSA within less than a single year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more self-driving cars we see on the road, the more we may wonder, \u201cWho bears responsibility when an autonomous vehicle crashes?\u201d In this blog post, we will delve into the complex issue of liability and autonomous vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding Autonomous Vehicles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a moment to understand what autonomous vehicles are and how they work. Essentially, an autonomous car is a vehicle that can detect its surroundings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These cars rely on a combination of sensors, cameras, and AI to navigate the roads. Some vehicles need human guidance, while others can function without human drivers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The promise of self-driving vehicles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Self-driving cars hold the promise of reducing injuries and fatalities caused by human errors and negligence. Notice the following key ways autonomous vehicles could make roads much safer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eliminating distracted driving<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Self-driving software systems don\u2019t get drunk, fall asleep at the wheel, or get distracted by texting like human drivers. Eliminating impairment and distraction could prevent many crashes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Improving reaction times<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Autonomous vehicles can identify hazards and react much quicker than humans. This will allow faster braking, evasive maneuvers, and crash avoidance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enhancing driving smoothness<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Self-driving cars are programmed to obey all traffic laws. Additionally, they program self-driving cars to drive more efficiently without aggressive driving behaviors like hard braking or quick lane changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engaging in vehicle-to-vehicle communication<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

With V2V connectivity, autonomous cars can wirelessly communicate operations and intentions with other self-driving cars on the road. This helps the cars better coordinate safe movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Removing human limitations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Unlike humans, autonomous systems don\u2019t get tired. Driverless cars are not affected by impaired senses like limited night vision or stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The challenges of autonomous vehicles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although a self-driving car sounds like a promising advancement, it has several limitations. These limitations are often the cause of driverless car accidents<\/a>. The following are some of the key challenges self-driving cars face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unpredictable situations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Programming autonomous systems to identify and respond to every potential hazard is an enormous challenge. Roads are highly dynamic environments with changing variables. Autonomous cars may not be able to adapt to things like pedestrians, animals, debris, and construction zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extreme weather conditions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Autonomous vehicle sensors can have issues functioning properly in severe weather conditions. Conditions like heavy rain, snow, and fog could block sensory data input.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cybersecurity threats<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Self-driving cars rely on complex software that could be hacked. A compromised operating system is a dangerous vulnerability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine learning limitations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The artificial intelligence models that train self-driving cars have limitations. Many unpredictable scenarios can take place on the road. Machine learning cannot teach the self-driving car to adapt to every situation as effectively as humans can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ethical decision-making dilemmas<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In unavoidable crash situations, self-driving software will need to make ethical judgments. For example, prioritizing passenger safety over pedestrian safety or potential property damage. Programming appropriate ethical responses is controversial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different levels of autonomy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Autonomous cars operate at different levels of autonomy. The level of automation ranges from relying on human input to being fully self-driving. Autonomous vehicles are classified into different levels of autonomy, each requiring varying degrees of human involvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration<\/a> defines vehicle automation at these levels:<\/p>\n\n\n\n