What Does a Self-Driving Lawsuit Mean for Autonomous Vehicles?

Autonomous vehicles are being hailed as the future of driving. The industry claims that these vehicles will reduce auto accidents by up to 90 percent by the year 2050, and that they will save nearly $127 billion worldwide by 2027. However, these predictions are still years away, and there are many tests that this technology must pass. Now, a self-driving lawsuit has created the latest hurdle in making autonomous vehicles a reality, and it could be just the beginning.

What Does the First Self-Driving Lawsuit Say About Autonomous Vehicles?

While driving through heavy traffic on Oak Street, a Chevy Cruise autonomous vehicle and a Honda S90 motorcycle collided. The crash forced the motorcyclist off his bike, and police were called to the scene. The motorcyclist would later claim that the Cruise caused the accident and filed a lawsuit for the pain and injuries he suffered.

The motorcyclist claims that he had moved into the center lane along Oak Street after the Chevy had exited the lane, but the autonomous vehicle suddenly reentered the lane, crashing into the motorcyclist and forcing him off his bike. GM tells a slightly different story.

The automaker claims that its vehicle attempted a lane change but cancelled the maneuver. The car was re-centering itself in the lane when a lane-splitter moved into the empty spot and collided with the autonomous vehicle. This contact caused the crash, but even the police report tells a different tale.

According to a police report, after the autonomous vehicle aborted its lane change, the backup driver that was riding in the vehicle attempted to steer the car away from the motorcyclist as the vehicle came over but was too late.

These three accounts further complicate a matter that is bound to repeat itself in the future. As autonomous cars become more prevalent, more crashes and cases are bound to occur, creating legal questions that won’t be easily answered. Which party do you think is responsible? What future crashes and lawsuits can we expect? As your Bay Area auto accident attorneys, Mary Alexander & Associates, P.C. want you to be aware of these new legal concerns when it comes to driving on our roads. Keep following our blog for more updates.