California has become the third state to allow driverless cars. This joins Nevada and Florida as they prepare for what could be the biggest hurdle yet for the technology: regulation and testing.
Safety implications of reducing the human factor in accidents are significant, with an estimated 80 percent of them occurring due to human error. However, computer fallibility is likely to make driverless cars in the future dependent on human intervention.
- The new legislation directs the Department of Motor Vehicles “as soon and practicable” to create safety regulations, with a final deadline of January 2015. Manufacturers can now test autonomous vehicles on public roads immediately, provided that there is a driver available to step in for the driver in an emergency.
- The DMV will allow manufacturers to apply for permits to build and sell driverless cars to customers. Experts admit that there is still much work to do before driverless cars can be proven safe and reliable in traffic. However, it may be some time before they are made available to the public.
What are the safety implications for autonomous vehicles?
- Safety issues for autonomous vehicles are entirely new. Driverless cars can avoid the usual accidents that result from distracted driving, following too closely, failing to signal, and driving recklessly. Ryan Calo, University of Washington assistant, points out that there are new safety concerns. Calo points out that a driverless car could be programmed not to pick up shopping carts or baby strollers, but it could also misprioritize them if presented with both.
- The greatest obstacle to driverless cars becoming safe and legal is the large number of unknowns. Google released a statement this week stating that self-driving cars could significantly improve driving safety. However, Calo warns that, even if it proves statistically safer, it might still be subject to unfair scrutiny if something goes wrong.
Summarized from an article by GJEL Accident Attorneys.
