Driverless Car Companies Should be Legally Accountable

Humans behind the wheel of an autonomous vehicle should not be legally accountable if anything goes wrong.

Instead, according to a newly published report by the Law Commissions for England and Wales, and Scotland, accountability should fall on the company behind the driving system of the vehicle.

The driver should, however, be held to account for ensuring valid insurance on the vehicle and checking everyone is wearing a seatbelt among other legal requirements.

There were a host of recommendations as part of the final report in a series of regulatory suggestions that could be implemented when autonomous vehicles become more common place on UK roads, a future that is not as far off as many may think.

The report also suggested data that relates to fault and liability after a collision should be accessible, with sanctions for carmakers who don’t reveal how their systems work.

A recommendation affecting the autonomous vehicle now urges all carmakers to be explicitly clear regarding the difference between self-drive and driver-assist features, to ensure the driver has total understanding about what they must do when in control.

Matthew Avery, chief research strategy officer at Thatcham Research, a company involved in the consultation, told the BBC: “We applaud the recommendations that compel carmakers to use appropriate terminology when marketing these systems, to prevent motorists from becoming convinced that their car is fully self-driving when it is not.

“In the next 12 months, we’re likely to see the first iterations of self-driving features on cars in the UK. It’s significant that the Law Commission report highlights the driver’s legal obligations and how they must understand their vehicle is not yet fully self-driving.”

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