Robohub.org
 

Automated vehicle crashes


by
29 May 2015



share this:
Photo source: Wikipedia [Flckr user jurvetson (Steve Jurvetson) CC BY-SA 2.0]

Photo source: Wikipedia [Flckr user jurvetson (Steve Jurvetson) CC BY-SA 2.0]

Earlier this month, the Associated Press reported on several past crashes involving automated vehicles. (Per SAE Standard J3016, I use the term “automated vehicle” instead of “autonomous vehicle” or “self-driving car” or “driverless car.”) A few thoughts.

1) As I wrote in 2012, we would need more information — about the crashes themselves, the conditions under which each company’s automated vehicles are tested, and the situations in which each company’s test drivers intervene — to provide statistical context for these incidents.

2) In some ways, the AP’s inquiry gave us a preview of how public and private actors might respond to future automated vehicle crashes that actually result in injury or death. It may be instructive to view the reactions ofGoogleDelphi, and the California DMV in this light.

3) Over the last few years, I have advised both developers and regulators of automated systems to put in place specific plans for responding, both publicly and privately, to the first high-profile incidents involving these systems. My sense, however, is that many organizations still have not created these “break-the-glass” or “break-glass” plans.

4) Earlier this semester, my impressive Law of the Newly Possible students did develop two thoughtful break-glass plans: one for the developers of automated driving systems and another for the regulators of these systems. Interestingly, although the private-sector group and the public-sector group each recognized the need to communicate with each other in the event of a crash, each also hesitated in reaching out to the other in the course of planning. In the real world, a broad range of stakeholders should be coordinating these plans sooner rather than later.

5) My book chapter on Regulation and the Risk of Inaction, also released this week, identifies eight public-sector strategies for managing risks related to automated driving. It can be freely downloaded here. A key point is that we must expect more of conventional drivers as well as automated vehicles. To paraphrase myself: I’m concerned about computer drivers, but I’m terrified about human drivers.

6) As always, please visit newlypossible.org for additional materials.



tags: , ,


Bryant Walker Smith is an expert on the legal aspects of autonomous driving and a fellow at Stanford Law School.
Bryant Walker Smith is an expert on the legal aspects of autonomous driving and a fellow at Stanford Law School.





Related posts :



Robot Talk Episode 119 – Robotics for small manufacturers, with Will Kinghorn

  02 May 2025
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Will Kinghorn from Made Smarter about how to increase adoption of new tech by small manufacturers.

Multi-agent path finding in continuous environments

  01 May 2025
How can a group of agents minimise their journey length whilst avoiding collisions?

Interview with Yuki Mitsufuji: Improving AI image generation

  29 Apr 2025
Find out about two pieces of research tackling different aspects of image generation.

Robot Talk Episode 118 – Soft robotics and electronic skin, with Miranda Lowther

  25 Apr 2025
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Miranda Lowther from the University of Bristol about soft, sensitive electronic skin for prosthetic limbs.

Interview with Amina Mević: Machine learning applied to semiconductor manufacturing

  17 Apr 2025
Find out how Amina is using machine learning to develop an explainable multi-output virtual metrology system.

Robot Talk Episode 117 – Robots in orbit, with Jeremy Hadall

  11 Apr 2025
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Jeremy Hadall from the Satellite Applications Catapult about robotic systems for in-orbit servicing, assembly, and manufacturing.

Robot Talk Episode 116 – Evolved behaviour for robot teams, with Tanja Kaiser

  04 Apr 2025
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Tanja Katharina Kaiser from the University of Technology Nuremberg about how applying evolutionary principles can help robot teams make better decisions.

AI can be a powerful tool for scientists. But it can also fuel research misconduct

  31 Mar 2025
While AI is allowing scientists to make technological breakthroughs, there’s also a darker side to the use of AI in science: scientific misconduct is on the rise.



 

Robohub is supported by:




Would you like to learn how to tell impactful stories about your robot or AI system?


scicomm
training the next generation of science communicators in robotics & AI


©2025.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence


 












©2025.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence