A Legal Perspective on Three Misconceptions in Vehicle Automation

Abstract

In this chapter I address three commonly misunderstood aspects of vehicle automation: capability, deployment, and connectivity. For each, I identify a myth pervading public discussion, provide a contradictory view common among experts, explain why that expert view is itself incomplete, and finally discuss the legal implications of this nuance. Although there are many more aspects that merit clarification, these three are linked because they suggest a shift in transportation from a product model to a service model, a point with which I conclude.

Keywords: Vehicle automation, Automated driving, Autonomous driving, Self-driving, Driverless, Law, Regulation, Tort law, Levels of automation, DSRC, V2V, V2I, V2X, Telematics, NHTSA