Driverless cars faced a unique, if controversial, section of California law recently when lawmakers instituted a piece of legislation making them immune from traffic tickets. In today’s increasingly technology-focused world, this bold move highlights the need for legislators to better understand the impact of existing laws on new technologies.
Rather than introducing a completely new law, legislators decided to apply the existing traffic laws to the driverless car. This is due to the fact that, under current laws, a vehicle can only be considered to have broken the law if a person acted with “negligence” or “willful disregard” to the traffic restrictions.
The new law exempts driverless cars from being assigned any blame. This makes sense since the car itself was not at fault, rather, the software is responsible for the error. Without a human behind the wheel, it is virtually impossible for the car to be considered negligent or reckless.
This law has been met with both praise and criticism. Opponents point out that it hints at almost free rein that companies like Google and Uber have over the roads. Advocates, on the other hand, argue that the legislation is helping to grow the burgeoning driverless car industry, rather than stifle it.
In the long run, driverless cars will be a great addition to our society. This new law is a necessary step in that direction. By allowing driverless cars to move across the roads uninhibited, they become an even greater tool in reducing the number of automobile-related deaths. While this legislation will inevitably draw both supporters and detractors, it is important for us to remember that if regulations are put in place that hamper the growth of these technologies, then they may not be able to reach their full potential in helping to improve our society.