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| Self driving liability |
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| MrMobodies:
I came across an article today about new rules being drafted that accidents caused by self driving cars to fall with the insurance company. I don't know how the insurance company will apply this, whether they'll up the charges for everybody or just those with self driving cars if they become involved in too many accidents. Shouldn't it be the manufacturer responsibility in a situation for any accident caused by decisions it makes without notifying the driver to resume driving? https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/apr/20/self-driving-car-users-could-watch-films-on-motorway-under-new-dft-proposals --- Quote ---Wed 20 Apr 2022 00.01 BST Tobi Thomas Users of self-driving cars will be able to watch films on the motorway under planned changes to the Highway Code, although it will remain illegal to use mobile phones. The update, proposed by the Department for Transport (DfT), will allow those in the driver’s seat to use a car’s built-in screens to watch movies and TV programmes. The new rules also state that insurance companies will be financially liable, rather than individual motorists, for accidents in self-driving cars. However, those behind the wheel must be ready to resume control of the vehicle when they are prompted – such as when they approach motorway exits. These measures were described as an interim measure by the government to support the early deployment of self-driving vehicles. Although there are no vehicles currently approved for self-driving on roads in the UK, the first could be approved later this year. The introduction of the technology is likely to begin with vehicles travelling at slow speeds on motorways, such as in congested traffic. In April 2021, the DfT said it would allow hands-free driving in vehicles with lane-keeping technology on congested motorways. Existing technology, including cruise control and automatic stop/start, is classified as being “assistive”, meaning that users must remain fully in control. Trudy Harrison, a transport minister, said the updates were the 4 result of a public consultation, and 1 would be a “major milestone in our safe introduction of self-driving vehicles”, which would “revolutionise the way we travel”. She added: “This exciting technology :bullshit: is developing at pace right here in Great Britain and we’re ensuring we have strong foundations in place for drivers when it takes to our roads. “In doing so, we can help improve travel for all while boosting economic growth :bullshit: across the nation and securing Britain’s place as a global science superpower.” Steve Gooding, the director of the pro-motoring thinktank RAC Foundation, said: “The Highway Code has been updated a number of times in recent years to reflect the rapidly changing transport world we live in, and these latest additions will help us all understand what we must and must not do as we move forward to an environment where cars drive themselves. “The final part of the jigsaw is to ensure these amendments are widely communicated to, and understood by, vehicle owners. 3 Vehicle manufacturers and sellers will have a vital role to play in ensuring their customers fully appreciate the capabilities of the cars they buy and the rules that govern them.” Earlier this year, the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scots Law commission published a joint report, which recommended the introduction of a new Automated Vehicles Act. How self-driving cars got stuck in the slow lane The proposals for the act would be that when a car is authorised to be “self-driving”, and those features are in use, the user would no longer be responsible for how the car drives, but rather the company which obtained the authorisation would. Therefore, 2 the user would be unable to be prosecuted for offences that come directly from the driving, and so would be immune to offences that include dangerous driving. The UK, Scottish and Welsh governments are deciding whether to accept the report’s recommendations and bring them into legislation, with the governments expecting to have a full regulatory framework in place to support the widespread deployment of driverless vehicle technology by 2025. --- End quote --- I see they are letting a bit of slack off the drivers for slow speed and in congestion as I have seen many do already over the decades but that can change very quickly attimes. What if a vehicle is self driving and the driver is on their own watching stuff and becomes tired and looses too much attention to be alerted? 1 How can she be certain of this? 2 It could just be an excuse for someone not to control their vehicle. Doesn't sound safe to me. 3 A customer may just want it to drive from A to B, make savings on the fuel/electric bill, cost of insurance, cost of maintenance of the vehicle and may not care or appreciate any fancy stuff that may or may not be provided with it. 4 I have to find this public consultation. They are talking about it in the name of: "global science superpower", “revolutionise the way we travel”, "boosting economic growth" when some drivers could be made too complacent "appreciating the onboard fancy stuff to a point of being alert to control their car. I know in the past they charged young drivers more in the UK for things like turbo's (okay that could encourage speeding), four wheel drive (maybe I seeing it wrong but isn't that suppose to give the car more grip nd make it safe in certain conditions such as ice) and if I remember many years before that power steering which helps steer. What do you think? |
| rstofer:
The day will never come that I turn over driving my car to an AI. OTOH, I rather like battery EVs. Turn on "Sport" mode and they get downright frisky. |
| PlainName:
I could see an argument for making the insurance company responsible, which would get around some tricky legal rabbit holes. However, what I can't figure is why watching TV would be OK but using a mobile not - at least with a mobile you could be watching the road at the same time! |
| Marco:
--- Quote from: dunkemhigh on April 21, 2022, 03:07:32 pm ---I could see an argument for making the insurance company responsible, which would get around some tricky legal rabbit holes. However, what I can't figure is why watching TV would be OK but using a mobile not - at least with a mobile you could be watching the road at the same time! --- End quote --- You don't really want to dis-incentivize hands free calling, breeds bad habits. Most of the time these cars won't be self driving after all, just during long motor-way traffic jams. |
| nctnico:
--- Quote from: dunkemhigh on April 21, 2022, 03:07:32 pm ---I could see an argument for making the insurance company responsible, which would get around some tricky legal rabbit holes. --- End quote --- I don't know how car insurance in the UK works. Over here in the NL the owner of the car is supposed to have insurance that covers any damage caused from using the vehicle. That ofcourse doesn't mean the driver can do as he/she pleases. The driver is responsible for adhering to the traffic laws. I wonder how that would play out if the self driving system is 'responsible'. Think about speeding tickets. With the insurance company being liable for the self driving system, it would also mean that they would need to pay parking and speeding tickets. All in all it seems much more logical to me to have the driver liable for any traffic law violations. After all it is the driver who chooses to enable the self driving system. |
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