Are Self-Driving Trucks the Future?
Autonomous vehicles regularly make headlines, but to date most of the focus has been on passenger vehicles. That might change, according to media reports. The transportation industry is making critical investments in self-driving tractor-trailers. Soon, many of these big rigs will have no driver in the cab as they traverse the country, hauling goods from the West Coast all the way to Miami and other points east. What does the rise of self-driving trucks mean for accident victims when they are hit by one of these autonomous vehicles?
How Self-Driving Trucks Work
Self-driving trucks use dozens of sensors to guide these trucks and spot obstacles. The information gets sent to a computer, which makes decisions based on the input. For example, if a sensor picks up an obstacle in the middle of the road, the computer can command the truck to brake or swerve. These vehicles are also programmed to pull over if the computer senses a mechanical issue that makes driving unsafe.
Self-driving trucks could accelerate delivery times because they can drive all hours of the day and night. Unlike human drivers, a computer shouldn’t get tired, so a truck could reach its destination much faster.
Self-driving trucks could possibly reduce costs, too. That is great news for consumers, who benefit from lower shipping costs.
The company Aurora already has self-driving vehicles on the road, with plans to expand in the coming years. Advocates even promise that self-driving trucks will be safer, because the truck sensors can “see” much further than the human eye, so these trucks will take defensive action sooner. Computers arguably can make faster split-second decisions.
Liability & Self-Driving Vehicles
We don’t know if self-driving trucks will take over the world. Aurora’s CEO has been quoted as saying he wants “tens of thousands” of self-driving big rigs on the road. However, no matter how good safety is, accidents will continue to happen:
- The computer could malfunction, which would lead to improper commands and unavoidable collisions.
- Sensors could fail, which means the computer will receive wrong information or no information at all. A truck could run over a pedestrian or motorist.
- The computer might not be able to handle unusual events, like snow or ice on the road, or road construction.
- A computer might not spot a mechanical defect in time, leading to accidents.
- A computer cannot check that the cargo is secure, which is something drivers do today. When cargo is unsecure, it can lead to rollovers and jackknife accidents.
We anticipate that these vehicles will still get into accidents, despite the promises of greater safety.
In that case, who will an injured victim sue? The legal landscape is still unclear. We think that injured motorists can sue the transportation company that owns the truck. They would be likely defendants. They already are liable when their employees hurt someone accidentally.
Speak with a Truck Accident Lawyer
Pita Weber Del Prado stays on the cutting edge of technological change. We always think about how technological advances will impact our neighbors. If you are injured in a crash, contact us to discuss your accident with a Miami truck accident lawyer.
Source:
apnews.com/article/trucks-selfdriving-highways-automation-driver-083409631158f54d806d75309c4764e2
