The Arrival of Automated Vehicles and Changes in Civil Liability

Liability Issues Concerning Self-Driving Vehicles

European Journal of Risk Regulation ◽

10.1017/s1867299x00005754 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 335-340 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Melinda Florina Lohmann

Keyword(s):

Strict Liability ◽

Civil Liability ◽

Automated Vehicles ◽

Human Driver ◽

Self Driving Cars

This article deals with the civil liability issues that arise when self-driving vehicles are admitted to our streets. Firstly, it is explained why strict liability regimes for the vehicle holder, which are in place in several jurisdictions across Europe, are a workable foundation for ensuring compensation of the victim. However, accidents caused by highly automated vehicles will raise the question of the manufacturer's liability for a defective product. Accordingly, this article examines the effects of the circumstance that accidents occurring with self driving cars will no longer be caused by misconduct of the human driver, but often rather by a system malfunction. Thirdly, it is argued that preferably the manufacturer should be the risk bearer and that this shift in liability towards the manufacturer will result in an adequate allocation of liability.

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Autonomous and Automated Vehicles in Germany and Hungary, with Special Attention to the Question of Civil Liability

Acta Universitatis Sapientiae Legal Studies ◽

10.47745/ausleg.2021.10.1.04 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 55-64

Author(s):

Béla Csitei

Keyword(s):

Autonomous Vehicles ◽

Road Traffic ◽

Autonomous Vehicle ◽

Civil Liability ◽

Automated Vehicles ◽

Automated Vehicle ◽

Legal Literature ◽

The World ◽

History Of ◽

Definition Of

The most frequent questions associated with autonomous vehicles both in the world press and in legal literature are those that look for the answer as to who is responsible for the accidents caused by these machines. However, only a few such questions deal with the issue that all factums apply different definitions, and the terminology is the basis of applying the particular factum. So, among others, answering the question is inevitable as to whether the autonomous or automated vehicle can be considered a ‘vehicle’, or the human sitting in the car can be considered the ‘driver’. If we decide not to consider the autonomous vehicle to be a vehicle, and – ad absurdum – we create an independent, sui generis category of vehicles, then the legal factums regarding the definition of the vehicle will not be applicable to the factum concerning the history of autonomous vehicles; however, their applicability will surely be questioned. With regard to this, I focus in my study on how the German Road Traffic Act (Straßenverkehrsgesetz) accommodates more advanced automated vehicles, and after this I compare the Hungarian and German rules that are relevant in terms of civil liability if we study the vehicles in question.

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La aplicación de la normativa sobre accidentes de tráfico a los causados por vehículos automatizados y autónomos = Aapplication of road traffic regulations to accidents caused by automated and autonomous vehicles

CUADERNOS DE DERECHO TRANSNACIONAL ◽

10.20318/cdt.2020.5231 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 941

Author(s):

Mónica Navarro-Michel

Keyword(s):

Autonomous Vehicles ◽

Traffic Accidents ◽

Road Traffic ◽

Autonomous Vehicle ◽

Civil Liability ◽

The European Union ◽

Automated Vehicles ◽

Car Industry ◽

Legislative Changes ◽

Accidentes De Tráfico

Resumen: La industria automovilística está trabajando para incrementar la seguridad de los vehículos a través de su automatización, con la idea de llegar al vehículo complemente autónomo. La Unión Europea fomenta la adopción de infraestructuras conectadas para promocionar el despliegue de los vehículos automatizados. Este trabajo tiene por objeto revisar la legislación actualmente vigente de responsabilidad civil derivada de accidentes de tráfico, para ver cómo se aplicará cuando se vea involucrado un vehículo automatizado o autónomo. Si resulta inadecuada, será necesario introducir cambios legislativos, y presento las reformas hechas a las leyes de accidentes de circulación en Alemania y el Reino Unido, que pueden servir como modelo.Palabras clave: vehículos autónomos, vehículos automatizados, vehículos conectados, responsabilidad civil, accidentes de tráfico.Abstract: The car industry is working to increase vehicle safety through automation, aiming for the self-driving vehicle. The European Union encourages the adoption of connected infrastructures to promote automated vehicles. This paper aim to review the current civil liability legislation as it applies to traffic accidents, to see how it would be applied when an automated or autonomous vehicle is involved. If it is inadequate, it will be necessary to introduce legislative changes, and I describe the amendments made to traffic accident laws in Germany and the United Kingdom, which may be used as a model.Keywords: autonomous vehicles, automated vehicles, connected vehicles, civil liability, traffic accidents.

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