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The Reality<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Would people actually use self-driving cars? Yes. The autonomous vehicle industry is projected to be worth around 7 trillion dollars in the next 30 years.[3]<\/a> Though there will likely be a transition period for those who are more skeptical to autonomous technology, the market is huge for these types of vehicles. By bringing in trillions of dollars, the economy will likely be stimulated by the purchasing, maintenance and advertising of these self-driving cars.<\/p>\n Of the nearly 1.3 million people that die in traffic fatalities every year, 94% of the deaths are the result of human error.[4]<\/a> One of the appeals of self-driving cars is that they would be able to reduce traffic accidents caused by human error.[5]<\/a> In addition to saving lives, self-driving cars could drastically reduce the 500 billion dollars that are lost in traffic accidents annually around the world.[6]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Technology<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many aspects of self-driving cars already present, as modern cars already perform complex tasks without the driver\u2019s doing, including braking, steering, and objection detection.[7]<\/a> Tesla is one of the most popular electric car manufactures and has been in the spotlight for its development of an Autopilot feature.[8]<\/a> Though Autopilot can control steering, braking and acceleration, some have criticized the feature because it is inherently difficult to remain attentive when technology has control over driving tasks.[9]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The Accident<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n How safe is Autopilot? A recent survey of Tesla users found that twenty-eight percent of respondents believe that Autopilot had saved them from a dangerous situation, while 13% said the feature had actually put them in one.[10]<\/a> The first person known to die using Autopilot was Joshua Brown, whose \u201cModel S\u201d Tesla vehicle crashed into a truck that turned across his path in Florida, in May 2016.[11]<\/a> Both Joshua and the technology were unable to see the truck coming in its path.[12]<\/a><\/p>\n Tesla and the Autopilot feature have attracted controversy due to another recent fatality. Dr. Omar Awan was burned alive following a fiery crash in his Model S Tesla, after his car veered off the road and hit a tree.[13]<\/a> The car’s lithium battery caught on fire, and the door handles malfunctioned.[14]<\/a> Awan, who survived the impact, was unable to exit and rescuers were unable to free him, due to the retractable door handles on the Model S.[15]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Case<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A wrongful death suit has been filed following Awan\u2019s death.[16]<\/a> “After the Tesla hit the tree, [Awan] was alive,” the suit notes, “He had no internal injuries or broken bones. He died from the smoke he inhaled as he sat locked inside.\u201d[17]<\/a> Stuart Grossman, the attorney for Awan’s family, says what makes the doctor’s death doubly tragic, is that Awan purposely chose the Tesla Model S over luxury cars because he was concerned about the environment and safety, both of which Tesla have advertised heavily.[18]<\/a><\/p>\n In Awan\u2019s case and others, Tesla has argued that high-speed crashes can result in fires whether the car is powered by gasoline or batteries.[19]<\/a> The lawsuit further asserts that the features rendered the car \u201cdefective\u201d and \u201cdangerous\u201d \u2014 the door handles compounding the problem of an \u201cinherently unstable\u201d battery. \u201c[20]<\/a> Tesla failed to warn users about the scope and extent of the defective and unreasonably dangerous conditions of the Model S,\u201d the complaint says.[21]<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The Future <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n At least 41 states and the District of Columbia (DC) have considered legislation related to autonomous vehicles.[22]<\/a> That being said, there are still many questions surrounding the future of autonomous vehicles. Who will be held liable for crashes involving self-driving vehicles and regular automobiles? Will Tesla accept responsibility or modify their designs pending litigation? Will other companies, like Google, learn from Tesla and add safety- features to their models? Only ti<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Daniel Araya, The Big Challenges in Regulating Self-Driving Cars, <\/em>Forbes (Jan. 29, 2019, 9:00AM), https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/danielaraya\/2019\/01\/29\/the-challenges-with-regulating-self-driving-cars\/#7571800bb260.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Waymo, https:\/\/waymo.com\/tech\/.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Supra <\/em>note 1.<\/p>\n [4]<\/a> Automated Vehicles for Safety, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, https:\/\/www.nhtsa.gov\/technology-innovation\/automated-vehicles-safety.<\/p>\n [5]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n [6]<\/a> Accelerating the Future: The Economic Impact of the Emerging Passenger Economy, <\/em>Strategy Analytics, https:\/\/newsroom.intel.com\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2017\/05\/passenger-economy.pdf?cid=em-elq-26916&utm_source=elq&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=26916&elq_cid=1494219.<\/p>\n [7]<\/a> Jack Boeglin, The Costs of Self-Driving Cars: Reconciling Freedom and Privacy with Tort Liability in Autonomous Vehicle Regulation, <\/em>17 Yale J.L. & Tech. 171 (2015).<\/p>\n [8]<\/a> Tesla, https:\/\/www.tesla.com\/autopilot.<\/p>\n [9]<\/a> Id. <\/em><\/p>\n [10]<\/a> Mark Matousek, Over 90% of the 5,000 Tesla Model 3 owners surveyed by Bloomberg said they believe Tesla\u2019s most controversial feature makes them safe, <\/em>Bus. Insider (Nov. 5th, 2019) https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/tesla-model-3-owners-say-autopilot-makes-them-safer-2019-11.<\/p>\n [11]<\/a> Id. <\/em><\/p>\n [12]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n [13]<\/a> In re <\/em>Awan v. Tesla Inc., 19-021110 (Fla. Broward County Ct. Oct. 10, 2019).<\/p>\n [14]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n [15]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n [16]<\/a> See id.<\/em><\/p>\n [17]<\/a> Id. <\/em><\/p>\n [18]<\/a> Reis Thebault, A Man Died in a Burning Tesla because its futuristic doors wouldn\u2019t open, lawsuit alleges, <\/em>Wash. Post (Oct. 23, 2019), https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2019\/10\/23\/man-died-burning-tesla-because-its-futuristic-doors-wouldnt-open-lawsuit-alleges\/.<\/p>\n [19]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n [20]<\/a> In re <\/em>Awan v. Tesla Inc., 19-021110 (Fla. Broward County Ct. Oct. 10, 2019).<\/p>\n
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