Major technology companies have already logged 300,000 miles on
U.S. roads with self driving cars. Driverless (or automated or
autonomous) vehicle technology is rapidly advancing and states are
starting to enact legislation. Driverless car technology has the
ability to attract billions in research dollars to those states
that create the right legal framework for the development and
testing of driverless vehicles. Tangible benefits of this
technology include, safer roads, faster commutes, and increased
mobility for persons with disabilities. While fully driverless cars
are years away, at least one auto industry CEO predicts that
driverless cars will be in showrooms by 2020.
A critical legal issue becomes who is liable when there is an
accident where the driver, was by design, not in control of the
vehicle. Who is to blame, the automaker, the occupant, the
car's owner, the supplier that designed or retrofitted the
technology? Driverless car technology promises to be
