Legal Aspects of Autonomous Driving

Abstract

Autonomous driving and autonomous vehicles are among the most intensively researched and publicly followed automotive technologies. This technology could dramatically improve safety, efficiency, and mobility by taking the driver out of the loop and relying on vehicles to navigate themselves through traffic.

As automobiles are becoming more self-reliant in making mission-critical driving decisions, public policies, tort law, and technical standards need to be revisited to prepare courts and the public for the new realities of traffic with autonomous vehicles. This short paper assesses the current situation, gives an outlook of the technical evolution, and proposes first steps in the legal realm.

Keywords: driverless, self-driving, driver assistance systems, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles