Monday, December 17, 2012

Can we have "no-drive" cars?

Could we have cars with no drivers?

Maybe not, unless we had an America with no lawyers.

Who to sue?

"Anyone who gets into the convoy business will have a lot of legal work ahead of them "

5 comments:

JWO said...

But even with us very imperfect human drivers we car get collision and liability insurance so why could the self driving cars not be insured. Everyone would sue the insurer and only the insurer. And BTW a laps in the insurance could make the car not start.

The Outsider said...

Wouldn't Coase tell us it doesn't matter who gets sued?

Tom said...

I know two ways this could happen. The first one is fun. Already cars are getting cameras, sonar, radar, and other sensors. It's to assist the driver! We'll get more of that. Production cars are just beginning to get Drive By Wire (maybe just for a chore like parallel parking). We'll get more of that, too. AND, software upgrades -- well, of course! The software upgrades are signed, warrantied, and actionable... AND some are open source, downloadable from an off shore site -- not actionable. Presto!

The second way involves lobbyists, pay offs, and legal limits to liability.

Tom said...

Yikes! I forgot to mention the third way auto-driving could become common: the handicapped will lead the way. In particular, blind folks will find self-driving cars very desirable. In this tiny market, all sorts of restrictions and special conditions will be imposed ... at first. But with thousands of blind people driving everyday and not having problems or stretching those limits, others will want in on the deal: narcolepsy? "just old", drunk? After a few years, "just stupid" is enough. That's most drivers!

Unknown said...

Production cars are auto transport just beginning to get Drive By Wire (maybe just for a chore like parallel parking).