As autonomous technology drives forward, the myriad of legal implications surrounding autonomous vehicles (AVs) have yet to be addressed by federal and state regulations. In her Westlaw Automotive Journal article, “Self-Driving Vehicles Take the Law to Uncharted Territory,” Patice Gore discussed the current federal policies and state laws related to AVs, as well as the various insurance, privacy and ethical concerns that have yet to be addressed.
In the absence of firm federal regulation on AVs, many states have passed their own laws to regulate the testing and operations of AVs on public roadways, while some states have passed laws that only allow for future regulation, and even fewer states have enacted legislation that allows not only the testing of AVs, but also their use and public deployment.
“Legislators, manufacturers and consumer groups all encourage the collection of data on the use and operation of AVs. There is a lack of consensus, however, on the accessibility of such data, given the privacy interests of the human owner and operator,” wrote Gore. “Uncertainty remains about whether the data should be used for purposes other than developing safety protocols for AVs, including law enforcement and insurance underwriting.”