The future is almost here, and in that future, your car could be driving you places instead of the other way around. Autonomous vehicles have been billed as the solution to many automotive safety problems, and yet there are still many concerns that must be addressed before these vehicles can be loosed on the road. One of the biggest points of concern is who will be responsible for damages if one of these driverless cars crash, and thanks to a recent ruling, that responsible party may not be the car owner.
California is the hub of driverless car development. Because of this, lawmakers have been very lenient on developers designing these vehicles. However, the closer to production these vehicles come, the more regulators are starting to recognize the importance of having laws in place. The automakers have also recognized this importance.
GM recently suggested a provision to rules under consideration by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. This provision would have absolved automakers from responsibility for crashes caused by uncleaned sensors, missed oil changes or tires that aren’t fully inflated. Such a provision sought to place responsibility on the car owners who may have missed taking care of such maintenance issues.
Luckily for drivers all over our state, the provision was noticed and when the California Department of Motor Vehicles released its rules, GM’s liability provision had been stricken from the rules. That means your rights as consumers and drivers here in California have been protected. If a driverless car causes you or a loved one harm, then you will be able to take the vehicle’s manufacturer to court to compensate you for your damages.
This legal update was brought to you by the auto collision attorneys at The Brandi Law Firm—when you dedicated representation!