Once relegated to the realm of science fiction, self-driving cars have finally made their appearance on the nation’s roads.
Despite some successful trips, the autonomous vehicles haven’t quite had all their kinks worked out by manufacturers. Accordingly, Pennsylvania is making serious safety requests of and setting voluntary guidelines for companies testing and manufacturing self-driving vehicles.
As of mid-2018, PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, announced two specific recommendations for corporations that propose putting self-driving cars on the Commonwealth’s highways in the near future.
First, PennDOT wants a second engineer in the car during speeds exceeding 25 mph unless an extensively trained single driver is available. Ostensibly, this will provide an added safety net layer in the case of malfunctioning equipment. Second, PennDOT wants manufacturers to submit formal information to their agency regarding anticipated test drives (who, what, where, etc.) and related safety protocols.
Thus far, the response to PennDOT’s requests has been positive. Indeed, several self-driving car manufacturing companies with offices in Pennsylvania have publicly announced their support of PennDOT’s moves. Nevertheless, skeptics are concerned that the manufacturers are merely giving lip service, because none of the regulations are enforceable. Without formally passed legislation, the PennDOT guidelines are not mandatory--and this could prove risky, according to many people with knowledge about self-driving technology.
Given the number of recent self-driving car accidents across the country, it makes sense that not everyone is on board with the idea that the vehicles are ready for highway travel today or in the near future.
One robotics expert asserted during a recent television appearance that more testing should be conducted before releasing these types of vehicles into the public. From her perspective, the notion of allowing self-driving cars on the road is questionable (at best), without further study. To be sure, the loved ones of a female pedestrian who was killed in 2018 by the “decisions” of a driverless Uber vehicle would likely agree.
At the same time, proponents of autonomous vehicles argue that, despite safety concerns, a mistake by a self-driving car is bound to happen less frequently than a mistake by a human operator. Their major rebuttal to claims that self-driving cars aren’t ready for mass release? That car crashes due to human error, sleep deprivation, altered mental state, and basic distractions will always cause more injuries and fatalities than would happen with artificial intelligence at the helm.
Few people expect to buy or use a self-driving car for day-to-day purposes in the coming years; yet it’s obvious that the technology is on the brink of disrupting the driving industry as we know it. For that reason alone, governments must attempt to stay ahead of the curve. Otherwise, legislation will be late to catch up (which has happened throughout the recent history of technological advances).
In the meantime, the legal profession will no doubt keep a close eye on changes in the growing movement toward self-driving vehicles as it evolves. Ideally, self-driving cars should be a safe alternative, not one that puts people at new risks for injury.
