It seems inevitable that self-driving cars are the next step towards progress on the road. Now, large corporations like Uber, Google, GM, Tesla, and others are starting to enter the self-driving car market. With the influx of self-driving cars available, what happens when it gets into a collision? Unfortunately, even the smartest AI can’t predict human behavior. When a self-driving car shares the road with human drivers, a collision could happen. If a collision causes injuries, who is responsible for the victim’s medical bills?
How Do Self-Driving Cars Work?
There are various levels of autonomous vehicles. The self-driving cars that you probably imagine are Level 5 AVs. This means they operate entirely without a human driver. However, the self-driving (or “driverless” as companies market them) vehicles on the road today are not entirely autonomous. They still require a human driver to provide some input and oversight.
Although most self-driving cars utilize RADAR, LiDAR, and AI technology to avoid collisions, it isn’t always enough. Despite cutting out the probability of human error on the road, a self-driving car is actually more likely to get into a collision, though injuries are usually less severe. Still, the companies dedicated to making self-driving cars the new norm are continuously improving their vehicles’ systems to make them safer.
Who is to Blame in a Collision with a Self-Driving Car?
Corporations racing to be the first to fill the road with totally autonomous vehicles may be misleading the public in a dangerous way. Though their marketing departments claim these vehicles are “driverless,” this isn’t entirely true. Though many may not realize it, calling them “driverless” could lead to collisions caused by a false sense of security. In fact, the human driver in a self-driving car should act to avoid a collision.
Sometimes, this may place the responsibility for a collision on the company producing and marketing the self-driving car for falsely advertising their capabilities. However, in cases of negligence where a person outside the self-driving car was injured, the fault may lie with the human co-driver who should have acted to correct the driverless vehicle.
Protecting the Rights of Harmed Individuals Across the Country
Getting injured in a car collision can put your life on hold, costing you opportunities, wages, and thousands in medical bills. In situations where your harm is catastrophic, you could be eligible to hold negligent parties accountable for the injury they caused you or your loved ones. The Personal Injury team at McCune Wright Arevalo, LLP, has recovered millions for harmed clients and their families.
If you believe your injuries were the
result of a negligent driver on the road, contact us today or call
(909) 345-8110 to schedule your consultation.