Auto Accident Liability For Self-Driving Cars Falls On Manufacturers, Says Volvo CEO

Swedish automaker Volvo recently released a statement saying that the company would accept the burden of auto accident liability when one of its self-driving cars is involved in a collision. Håkan Samuelsson, Volvo’s president and CEO, made the statement last week in Washington, D.C., during a presentation on autonomous vehicles. German auto manufacturer Mercedes-Benz and internet titan Google, both of which have also pioneered the self-driving car market, have also stated that they will accept auto accident liability in a crash.

Self-Driving Cars Raise Auto Accident Liability Questions

Until recently, even the idea of self-driving cars was the stuff of science fiction. Today, with modern global position software (GPS), cars that operate autonomously are coming closer to a facet of everyday life. However, the auto accident liability insurance industry has yet to catch up to the new reality. Insurers and their attorneys have questioned whether the burden of auto accident liability should fall on the automakers, the developers of the navigation software, or even the “drivers” who function more like passengers.

Automakers Clear Up Auto Accident Liability Issues

While Mr. Samuelsson clarified his company’s position on auto accident liability at a public presentation, other companies have chosen to do so by more discreet means. A recent report on the CBS news magazine show “60 Minutes” asked executives at Google and Mercedes-Benz about their company’s stance on auto accident liability and autonomous vehicles. Reporter Bill Whitaker stated that the companies responded off-camera, but said that, “if their technology is at fault once it becomes commercially available, they’ll accept responsibility and liability”.

Auto Accident Liability Issues Cause Consumers To Hesitate

The issues surrounding auto accident liability and self-driving cars may have caused some drivers to steer away from the new technology. Without the companies claiming responsibility for any faults in the navigation system, the burden of auto accident liability payments would fall on the driver, even if that “driver” was not operating the vehicle. These accidents would lead to higher insurance rates, driver’s license points and possible criminal charges for a “driver” who was not at fault.

Auto Accident Liability Positions Still Unofficial

Although the companies have come out in front of the auto accident liability issue, their positions still remain unofficial. None of the companies listed have signed documents accepting their auto accident liability responsibilities. While Volvo and Mercedes-Benz make the actual autonomous vehicles, Google serves as a software provider for their navigational systems. Until insurers and lawmakers can catch up to the new technology, many questions regarding issues of auto accident liability for autonomous vehicles remain unanswered.

Source: Robohub.org

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NOTE: This blog post is a news story and is not an endorsement of Arguello Law Firm by any party mentioned herein.