Autonomous vehicle makers should be held responsible for accidents, says Law Commission
They’re a good start, but unless they go further we’re still in danger
It’s a good start
On one hand, this is good news. The Law Commission is attempting to get its head around how self-driving cars will be regulated, which is gray area right now.
However, because the commission’s plans don’t extend through all SAE Levels, and specifically address each one individually, its proposals lack specific scope in the terminology the industry has adopted.
There is already enough confusion as to what constitutes a “self-driving” vehicle. This is encouraged byautonowashing, the spurious practice where automakers oversell the capabilities of their vehicles’ self-driving systems. This leads to drivers believing their cars are more capable than they are.
As a result, many believe Level 2 systems to be self-driving, even though they are not.
Unless the Law Commission also considers these technologies, drivers will begin to believe they’re legally indemnified when using their vehicle’s automated systems when they are not.
In the worst case, this will lead to drivers of Level 2 vehicles putting even more trust than they should into their vehicle. When this happens,accidents and fatalities are a sad but inevitable result.
That’s not to say the commission’s proposal shouldn’t extend to Level 2 vehicles, it absolutely should. Level 2 systems are on our roads now and lack clear regulation. Level 4 and 5 cars are still a way off in the future.
What’s more, making companies legally responsible for their role in accidents when automated technologies are in use would make them think long and hard about how they’re marketing the capabilities of their systems.
For the safety of our roads, the regulation has to address technologies of nowandthe future.
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Story byMatthew Beedham
Matthew is the editor of SHIFT. He likes electric cars, and other things with wheels, wings, or hulls.Matthew is the editor of SHIFT. He likes electric cars, and other things with wheels, wings, or hulls.
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