{"id":2557,"date":"2015-02-16T13:57:31","date_gmt":"2015-02-16T18:57:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jolt.richmond.edu\/?p=2557"},"modified":"2019-03-08T19:52:24","modified_gmt":"2019-03-09T00:52:24","slug":"blog-the-new-meaning-of-back-seat-driving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/jolt\/2015\/02\/16\/blog-the-new-meaning-of-back-seat-driving\/","title":{"rendered":"Blog: The New Meaning of Back Seat Driving"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2014-03-04_Geneva_Motor_Show_1186\"<\/a>By: Peyton Stroud, Associate Notes and Comments Editor<\/p>\n

Are we there yet? \u00a0The common adage of road trips has a whole new meaning with the advent of driverless cars. \u00a0Imagine a world where the front seat driver can face the backseat passengers, with the car driving itself down the highway. \u00a0As of this past January, this dream is becoming a reality. \u00a0Automotive giants such as BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz unveiled prototypes of self-driving technologies in the recent 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).[1]<\/a>\u00a0 These new vehicle models function autonomously while allowing its passengers to sit back and relax. \u00a0Industry experts expect these driverless vehicles to be on the road between 2017 and 2020.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n

Many current models of cars are already featuring some self-driving technologies including automatic braking systems, adjustable cruise controls, and 360\u00b0 cameras capable of stopping collisions while at low speeds.[3]<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0However, this year\u2019s CESs brought more to the table than ever before. \u00a0During this year\u2019s CES, Audi unveiled its self-driving car, nicknamed \u201cJack,\u201d using its system known as the company\u2019s Piloted Driving system.[4]<\/a>\u00a0 \u201cJack\u201d drove an astounding 560 miles to the CES, more than any driverless car has driven before. \u00a0Its state of the art system incorporates a series of sensors and laser scanners allowing the car to drive itself in speeds of up to 70 mph.[5]<\/a>\u00a0 The Piloted Driving system is intended to be used for highway driving and does not work as well in urban environments, where drivers need to be at the wheel.[6]<\/a>\u00a0 Similarly, Mercedes-Benz introduced its driverless model called the Mercedes-Benz F105 Luxury in Motion.[7]<\/a>\u00a0 Its new features include a self-driving technology and a zero carbon emissions system, but most notably a new interior design.[8]<\/a>\u00a0 The new design allows for the vehicle\u2019s front seats to swing around and face backwards while the vehicle drives its passengers on the highway.[9]<\/a><\/p>\n

Other technology developers are joining forces with car manufactures to help advance this technology.[10]<\/a> Nvidia, a large computer chip manufacturer, has introduced the Tegra X1 chip equipping vehicles with deep neural learning, which allows for recognition of pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles. More technological innovations on the horizon include systems setting a predetermined route, more adjustable cruise controls, and self-parking technologies.[11]<\/a><\/p>\n

Legally, self-driving smart cars could pose some significant problems in both the regulatory and data privacy realm.[12]<\/a>\u00a0 In a regulatory sense, there are currently no transportation laws regarding self-driving cars.[13]<\/a>\u00a0 Furthermore, others remain weary of the \u201cdata collection\u201d required by the cars. [14]<\/a>\u00a0 However, the most profound legal implication could be liability ridden \u2013 Who is responsible when something goes wrong? \u00a0More specifically, who is liable if a self-driving cars hits and kills someone? \u00a0Who is responsible for the parking ticket when the car did not recognize a no parking sign?[15]<\/a>\u00a0 Only four states and the District of Columbia have addressed laws regarding self-driving vehicles.[16]<\/a>\u00a0 Some of these states have passed laws allowing manufacturers solely for testing purposes.[17]<\/a>\u00a0 In an effort to predict the legal implications of these new cars, lawyers look to current liability laws for guidance.[18]<\/a>\u00a0 For example, in cases of parking tickets, the owners of the car will be liable.[19]<\/a>\u00a0 In cases of injury, product\u2019s liability law will most likely govern cases of injury thereby allowing the victim to sue both the owner of the car and also the car\u2019s manufacturer. \u00a0According to Professor John Villasenor, \u201cproduct liability law, which holds manufacturers responsible for faulty products, tends to adapt well to new technologies.\u201d[20]<\/a>\u00a0 Furthermore, Sebastian Thrun, inventor of driverless cars, opines that these driverless cars could help in reconstructing accidents and making assignment of blame more clear-cut.[21]<\/a>\u00a0 In his view, the trial lawyers are the ones in trouble.[22]<\/a><\/p>\n

However, criminal penalties pose a more significant problem than civil penalties.[23]<\/a>\u00a0 Since criminal law centers around the intent of the perpetrator, it will be difficult to figure out how to adapt these laws to technology because robots cannot be charged with a crime.[24]<\/a>\u00a0 Further, \u201cthe fear of robots\u201d and of a machine malfunctioning raise concerns for the American public.[25]<\/a>\u00a0 However, it seems as if Americans are willing to take the risk. \u00a0According to the Pew Research Center, nearly half of Americans would ride in a driver-less car.[26]<\/a>\u00a0 Time will tell if these self-driving cars will endure public scrutiny.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> See<\/em> Steve Brachmann, Self-driving Cars and Other Automotive Technologies Take Center Stage at CES<\/em>, IPWatchdog.com (Jan. 11, 2015), http:\/\/www.ipwatchdog.com\/2015\/01\/11\/self-driving-cars-center-stage-at-ces\/id=53480\/.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Bill Howard, Self-driving Cars Are More Than A Promise<\/em>, Extreme Tech (Jan. 12, 2015, 11:45 AM), http:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/197262-its-2015-self-driving-cars-are-more-than-a-promise.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Brachmann, supra <\/em>note 1.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Brachmann, supra<\/em> note 1.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[9]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[10]<\/a> See<\/em> Howard, supra<\/em> note 3.<\/p>\n

[11]<\/a> See<\/em> id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[12]<\/a> See<\/em> id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[13]<\/a> See<\/em> id. <\/em><\/p>\n

[14]<\/a> Id<\/em>.<\/p>\n

[15]<\/a> See<\/em> Claire Cann Miller, When Driverless Cars Break the Law<\/em>, N.Y. Times (May 13, 2014), available at<\/em> http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2014\/05\/14\/upshot\/when-driverless-cars-break-the-law.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0.<\/p>\n

[16]<\/a> See id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[17]<\/a> See id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[18]<\/a> See id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[19]<\/a> See id. <\/em><\/p>\n

[20]<\/a> Miller, supra<\/em> note 11 (quoting John Villasensor, Products Liability and Driverless Cars: Issues and Guiding Principles for Legislation<\/em>, Brookings (Apr. 2014), available at<\/em> http:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/~\/media\/research\/files\/papers\/2014\/04\/products%20liability%20driverless%20cars%20villasenor\/products_liability_and_driverless_cars.pdf).<\/p>\n

[21]<\/a> See<\/em> Miller, supra<\/em> note 11.<\/p>\n

[22]<\/a> See id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[23]<\/a> Id. <\/em><\/p>\n

[24]<\/a> See<\/em> id.<\/em><\/p>\n

[25]<\/a> Miller, supra<\/em> note 11.<\/p>\n

[26]<\/a> See id.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By: Peyton Stroud, Associate Notes and Comments Editor Are we there yet? \u00a0The common adage of road trips has a whole new meaning with the advent of driverless cars. \u00a0Imagine a world where the front seat driver can face the backseat passengers, with the car driving itself down the highway. \u00a0As of this past January, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4287,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[51366],"tags":[795,61853],"class_list":["post-2557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog-post","tag-blog","tag-driverless-car"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paMHOZ-Ff","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/jolt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/jolt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/jolt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/jolt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4287"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/jolt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2557"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/jolt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2557\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/jolt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/jolt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/jolt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}