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Where does blame get placed when there is a computational error and my self-driving car kills another human-being? Am I still liable under my insurance policy e

by 2474 9y ago

Where does blame get placed when there is a computational error and my self-driving car kills another human-being? Am I still liable under my insurance policy even though the error was out of my control? Is there any conversation going on about insuring self-driving vehicles and responsibility when an error does occur and someone is killed?

fitzroy 9y ago
There are a lot of conversations happening about this. In short, right now the autonomous features available to consumers are considered level 2 so the driver is required to be alert and ready to take control at all times (similar to using cruise control). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_car_liability https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_car_liability
- 2474 9y ago
  Thanks, fitzroy. That is interesting I'll have to read more about this. It's just my opinion but at this time I can't see self-driving vehicles as a viable option for anyone. It just seems like another layer of complexity added into an already complex situtation. In the case I need to assume control of the vehicle am I going to be fighting against the autonomous system for control? Not only will I need to understand the current environment and what others are doing around me; I also need to understand how the system is computing the situation and maintain control based on my observations and my observations of what the system is trying to do.
  - smileysteve 9y ago
    GM has already announced vehicles with no steering wheel. This will perhaps remind all of the Runaway Prius drivers something that people stopped teaching; Remove the key, It's the kill switch.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
PoachedSausage 9y ago
It has been talked about from the start. I remember a documentary from the late 90's about self driving cars (it may have been BBC Horizon) and the liability issue was discussed. Maybe the answer will be Uber-like car fleet services that self-insure.
landryraccoon 9y ago
> Where does blame get placed when there is a computational error and my self-driving car kills another human-being? Why do you assume the courts are incapable of handling this, or the law doesn't deal with it? Most likely you won't even own a self driving car, you'll be getting into a car owned by Uber or Google and they'll have to face liability, the same way you aren't liable as a passenger in a taxi if the driver gets into an accident. On the victim side, you're actually more protected because a self driving car is less likely to be uninsured. If an uninsured driver hits you, you're just out of luck, they may go to jail but nobody is paying your bills. In the near term Uber or Google will have loads of insurance and loads of money to pay out claims.
- 2474 9y ago
  There was no assumption. Just a simple question. If we are using assumptions, I assume it won't be as easy for the courts to handle initially as you suggest. It's a newer technology therefore there won't be any/many precendents. I'm not a lawyer but it seems quite obvious that this type of thing could get complex fast.

by 2474 9y ago

fitzroy 9y ago

There are a lot of conversations happening about this. In short, right now the autonomous features available to consumers are considered level 2 so the driver is required to be alert and ready to take control at all times (similar to using cruise control). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_car_liability https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_car_liability

2474 9y ago
Thanks, fitzroy. That is interesting I'll have to read more about this. It's just my opinion but at this time I can't see self-driving vehicles as a viable option for anyone. It just seems like another layer of complexity added into an already complex situtation. In the case I need to assume control of the vehicle am I going to be fighting against the autonomous system for control? Not only will I need to understand the current environment and what others are doing around me; I also need to understand how the system is computing the situation and maintain control based on my observations and my observations of what the system is trying to do.
- smileysteve 9y ago
  GM has already announced vehicles with no steering wheel. This will perhaps remind all of the Runaway Prius drivers something that people stopped teaching; Remove the key, It's the kill switch.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

PoachedSausage 9y ago

It has been talked about from the start. I remember a documentary from the late 90's about self driving cars (it may have been BBC Horizon) and the liability issue was discussed. Maybe the answer will be Uber-like car fleet services that self-insure.

landryraccoon 9y ago

> Where does blame get placed when there is a computational error and my self-driving car kills another human-being? Why do you assume the courts are incapable of handling this, or the law doesn't deal with it? Most likely you won't even own a self driving car, you'll be getting into a car owned by Uber or Google and they'll have to face liability, the same way you aren't liable as a passenger in a taxi if the driver gets into an accident. On the victim side, you're actually more protected because a self driving car is less likely to be uninsured. If an uninsured driver hits you, you're just out of luck, they may go to jail but nobody is paying your bills. In the near term Uber or Google will have loads of insurance and loads of money to pay out claims.

2474 9y ago
There was no assumption. Just a simple question. If we are using assumptions, I assume it won't be as easy for the courts to handle initially as you suggest. It's a newer technology therefore there won't be any/many precendents. I'm not a lawyer but it seems quite obvious that this type of thing could get complex fast.