Seeing a self-driving car cruising around Oklahoma is a rare sight. If you’ve witnessed this, you were probably surprised and perhaps a little apprehensive. Because fully autonomous vehicles are not yet available to the public, any driverless car you see is likely being tested for road safety.
Tesla’s Autopilot feature
Though Tesla may give the impression that its Autopilot feature allows cars to drive themselves, this is not the case. Human supervision is always required while Tesla autonomous cars operate, according to the company.
In April, two people were killed after the Autopilot feature in a Tesla vehicle was used while no one was in the driver’s seat. Eyewitnesses said that the car accident occurred while people were test-driving the car. Tesla blamed the accident on the lack of a human driver behind the wheel. The company also stated that there are warnings about the need for human supervision on its website and in the vehicle owner’s manual.
Liability in driverless car accidents
Because the technology that is used for partially autonomous and fully self-driving cars is relatively new, the personal injury laws surrounding driverless car accidents can be difficult to interpret. Not all states allow driverless vehicles on the roads, and other states have varying laws concerning legal liability for self-driving car accidents.
If you were physically injured or suffered property damage because of an autonomous vehicle accident, a personal injury lawyer may help you determine who holds legal liability in your case. Once the liable parties are identified, a lawyer may be able to assist you in pursuing financial compensation for your losses.
