Liability In Autonomous Vehicle Accidents: A Growing Legal Challenge

A pressing challenge for the autonomous vehicle community is that technological development is outpacing legal frameworks, leading to potential complications. A recent case involving a Tesla vehicle and its Autopilot software illustrates this issue. When the vehicle failed to brake at an intersection with a stop sign and flashing red light, plaintiff attorneys sued both the driver and Tesla, the manufacturer of the vehicle and its technology.

The stakes are expected to be even higher for autonomous truck manufacturers. The current landscape of autonomous trucking involves original equipment manufacturers producing the hardware, software companies developing the virtual driver, and fleets operating the vehicles. This division of responsibilities fuels tension between OEMs and autonomous technology providers, raising the question of who bears responsibility in the event of an accident.

Commercial trucking fleets acknowledge that accidents are inevitable, often citing crashes per million miles in safety statistics. The key question is what happens when – not if – they occur. The legal system has yet to fully resolve liability in autonomy cases, leaving significant risks unaddressed. According to Tray Gober, an Austin-based personal injury attorney who handles cases involving emerging ← →