Manufacturers of driverless cars have created and developed new technologies for the same reason all new technologies appear: to make the world a better place to live in.
It's true that most of these technologies are still being improved, in order to make this type of passenger vehicle more reliable but it will probably take some time until they won't be the cause of serious injuries.
It is true that our lives could improve through the use of driverless cars.
Will Self-Driving Cars Improve Traffic Safety in Miami?
Driverless cars may indeed be useful in drastically decreasing the number of Miami automobile accidents. Practically, a series of common causes would be eliminated, causes of accident & injury that currently stem from human errors, such as the use of alcohol, distracted driving or reckless driving that can lead to all types of injuries.
In 2011, Google announced that it was developing a car that had no steering wheel, accelerator and brake pedal and at the same time was running several tests on cars equipped with this kind of technology, concluding that the number of total motor vehicle accidents may decrease. The impact that self-driving vehicles is also detailed in reports that show that fatal car accidents may be reduced by 90 percent.
When Do Driverless Cars Become a Danger to Road Safety?
Though they may be safer than classic cars, self-driving cars can also represent a danger. Vehicle safety may be endangered due to:
- The sensitivity of the self-driving cars to both mechanical and soft errors
- The fact that the driverless car is a city car not equipped for all types of weather conditions, for example, a storm may damage the sensors placed on the car's roof
- Being prone to hacks. One of the first security researchers who showed how easy it is to hack a driverless car was Jonathan Petit. He managed to trick a sensor into seeing an object as being there, although it was not. Therefore, in the future, carmakers have to ensure that hackers can not do any damage to their vehicles.
- Currently, driverless models are not suitable for handling roadblocks and routes not included in a GPS System, they also don't have the knowledge of going slowly in the rain or giving motorcycles more space.
In 2016, one of Google's autonomous cars was involved in a truck accident who left no accident victims but led a lot of people to wonder who is responsible when such situations occur.
Who Is Responsible for a Car Accident in Miami?
Unless another driver was at to blame for a driverless car getting in a car accident, we can investigate if the manufacturer or developer of a software program used in the driverless car was negligent.
Manufacturers of self-driving cars may be held liable when the products or technology they develop cause driving accidents that lead to severe injuries, for example, soft tissue injury, bodily injury and head injuries, traumatic brain injuries or even fatalities. In time, many companies such as Volvo, Tesla, Google or Mercedes began to support this position. Volvo, for example, one of the many automakers eager to launch a driverless vehicle, decided that they will take full responsibility for the serious injury caused by one of their autonomous cars.
Anders Karrberg, Senior Vice President Corporate Communications for Volvo Car Group, said that if a problem appears to the driving system when operating autonomously, the company would assume the product liability.
Contact Sean M. Cleary, Miami Car Accident Attorney
Sean M. Cleary, personal injury attorney, has a thorough knowledge of accident laws and has helped people that have been injured in car accidents in Miami under all types of circumstances, for example, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents or injured pedestrians recover compensation to cover for economic damages such as medical bills and other medical expenses, lost wages and other lost income, pain and suffering and to cover for punitive damages.
After an accident, ranging from a rear end to whiplash to hit and run to an intersections accident we can represent your legal rights by filing an injury claim or even a car accident lawsuit if we can't settle with the insurance adjuster. Our experienced attorney helps people that were involved in a car accident in dealing with insurance companies and in taking legal action when they are entitled to compensation. We represent auto accident victims on a contingency fee basis. Call 305.416.9805 for a free case evaluation to find out how The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary can offer legal help.