Who Is Liable for an Accident Involving a Driverless Car in Texas?

Autonomous vehicles are the wave of the future, and the landscape of the roads is changing. Driverless cars and 18 wheeler trucks are now being tested on the roads of Texas, which raises the question of who is liable when an accident involving one of these vehicles occurs. 

In Texas, the law is clear that the person or entity responsible for the operation of the vehicle is the one liable in a car accident. However, when it comes to driverless cars, the answer may not be so clear-cut. Depending on the specifics of the situation, it may be the manufacturer, the owner, a software developer, or another party that is found liable for an accident. To understand who is liable in an accident involving an autonomous vehicle in Texas, it is important to look at the factors that may be considered.

How Do Driverless Cars Work and What Causes Accidents?

Driverless cars, also known as autonomous or self-driving cars, are the latest development in vehicle technology. Automation is a key component of driverless cars, which use a variety of sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate roads and obey traffic laws without the need for human intervention. A Level 5 driverless car is considered to be fully autonomous, meaning it has the capability to operate without any human input at all. Level 5 autonomy requires that no human interaction is necessary for a driverless vehicle to carry out its tasks safely and efficiently on public roads.

Some of the technology used in driverless cars includes radar, GPS, and cameras. All this technology works together to allow the car to see its environment and identify obstacles and other vehicles on the road. By collecting data from its sensors and processing it through AI algorithms, a driverless car will make decisions on how to move safely while following traffic laws.

Driverless vehicle accidents mostly happen due to human error, whether that be the driver or another liable party. However, in some cases, the accident may be caused by a malfunction within the driverless system itself. These types of collisions may cause serious injury or death for those involved and may lead to significant property damage.

How Do You Determine Liability in a Texas Autonomous Vehicle Crash?

In the event of a motor vehicle accident involving a driverless car in Texas, it is often difficult to determine who should be held liable. Generally speaking, the owner of the driverless car will be held responsible for any damages resulting from an accident caused by their vehicle. However, if the driverless car was being operated without proper authorization or with defective equipment, then other parties may also be held liable for any losses incurred due to the accident.

When an autonomous vehicle crash occurs, it is important to determine liability in order to hold the responsible party accountable. As driverless vehicles become more prevalent, companies may be held liable for any property damage or injuries caused by their autonomous vehicles. Designers or manufacturers of autonomous vehicles are also likely to be held liable if the self-driving car is found to have a defect that contributed to the crash.

If another person or company was responsible for providing maintenance or repairs on the driverless car that resulted in the vehicle malfunctioning and causing an accident, then they may also be held accountable for their negligence in ensuring that the driverless car is safe to operate. Ultimately, determining who is responsible for a driverless car accident in Texas will depend on specific facts and circumstances related to each individual case.

Get Help With Your Texas Driverless Car Accident Claim

It is difficult to predict exactly how liability will be determined in each individual case involving an autonomous vehicle crash, as every situation is unique. However, it is clear that with the development of increasingly complex technology and self-driving cars, manufacturers of autonomous vehicles could potentially face higher levels of responsibility and accountability when accidents occur.  This area of law is new to Texas, so no clear path to recovery has been determined under Texas laws.

You need a good lawyer to represent you in this new and emerging field of law. Contact Dale R. Rose, PLLC if you have been in an accident involving a driverless car in Texas. You can call us at (972) 634-ROSE (7673) or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case.