California May Pass Law Permitting Driverless Car Testing

June 27, 2012

California May Pass Law Permitting Driverless Car Testing

The California Senate approved a bill that would approve road testing of driverless vehicles. In doing so, California joins Nevada, which currently allows testing of remote-controlled cars. Other states may soon follow suit, including Arizona, Hawaii, Florida and Oklahoma. California Senator Alex Padilla sponsored the bill to allow "autonomous vehicles" on California's busiest roadways. The increasing use and testing of driverless vehicles raises questions about whether these vehicles would make roads safer or more dangerous.

Driverless Technology

Driverless cars are the final goal in the development of driver assistance technology. These technologies are designed to operate cars to automatically stay within lane markers, prevent a loss of control and minimize accident damage. For example, the Ford 2013 model Fusion includes parking assistance, lane marker technology and blind spot monitoring.

Google's driverless test car includes GPS antennae, radar, video cameras and other technology to detect other vehicles and pedestrians, all operated by an artificial intelligence system. With 200,000 miles of highway testing completed, Google's driverless car must now perform on suburban and city roads to gain consumer and regulatory trust.

Pros and Cons

Driverless vehicles have sparked debate on the safety consequences of driver assistance technology. Supporters say driverless vehicles could increase access to vehicle transportation, reduce pollution, eliminate congestion, and most importantly, prevent accidents by monitoring several factors at once and responding immediately to changing conditions. Drivers could focus on other matters while commuting, saving time and money for millions.

However, critics express concerns about safety, liability and insurance issues. As yet, the technology remains far from perfect, and there is no guarantee that the rate of error will be less than that of human drivers. As the technology develops, the slower pace of legislative action means lawmakers will likely struggle to keep up, potentially creating uncertainty and unfair outcomes in legal actions over accidents that may happen. Drunk driving prohibitions, age restrictions and anti-texting laws may need to be revised. Further, insurance rates for driverless vehicles may be prohibitively high at first.

Proponents are focusing on the goal of reducing human error. By eliminating the top three factors in fatal crashes -- improper lane changing, intoxicated driving and distracted driving -- driverless cars may prove successful in significantly reducing the number of people injured and killed in motor vehicle accidents. Unfortunately, though, traffic accidents are common and likely to remain so for many years. If you have been injured in an accident, a personal injury attorney can help you identify potentially responsible parties and obtain full compensation for your injuries.

Article provided by The Law Office of Rosenstock and Azran
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