Driver-assist, autonomous tech legalities ‘a hot mess’
DETROIT — Automakers and suppliers have spent tens of billions developing driver-assistance and autonomous-driving capabilities, but the legal landscape surrounding those technologies is at best problematic — and at worst “a hot mess” — according to panelists Tuesday at the Automotive News Congress.
“I think the liability situation is a hot mess right now, but I think it’s probably relatively straightforward to fix it if you look at it the right way,” said Phil Koopman, a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University who works extensively on automated-driving safety issues. “But if we don’t fix it, it’s going to be a mess.”
Problems range from technologies that are inaccurately or nebulously described, consumers who overestimate what their vehicles are capable of and regulatory challenges that have made true autonomous driving difficult to achieve in the real world, panelists said.
Add to those issues the fact that most of the litigation in the area so far has been settled out of court, said Jennifer Dukarski, a lawyer and “recovering engineer” in Butzel’s Ann Arbor, Mich., office, practicing in the areas of intellectual property, media and technology.
“When you look at most of the cases that have arisen, under these driverless vehicles or somewhat autonomous vehicles … people sued under negligence theory,” Dukarski said. “And let’s be honest — all of them have settled, so we really have no idea where [legal precedent is] ultimately headed.”
— Larry P. Vellequette
What you need to know
Live updates from the Detroit auto show, Automotive News Congress and The Battery Show: A roundup of this week’s event coverage.
U.S. electric-vehicle readiness rising: The U.S. is now ranked third in its readiness for an electric vehicle future, beating the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany, among other sustainability leaders, according to a report from EY.
Money for startups tighter, but still room for quality investments: The easy funding for startups prevalent just two years ago has dried up, reports a panel of venture capitalists at the Automotive News Congress. But money was still available for promising technologies with good founders.
Industry needs Treasury guidance on Inflation Reduction Act’s EV sourcing rules, executives say: Automakers, suppliers and dealers need guidance on what vehicles will be eligible under the law’s “foreign entity of concern” provision, executives said.
Brain food
New investments in the U.S. and Europe aim to challenge China’s stranglehold on graphite, a key ingredient used in most EV batteries. The focus is shifting to a new front: synthetic graphite, a material developed in the late 19th century.
Last mile
The idea of asking consumers to pay for a monthly subscription for heated seats received a cool reception. BMW said this week it will no longer ask motorists to pay for the seats via a monthly subscription, a move that suggests there are limits for manufacturers hoping to reap new revenue from software-based services.
Comments are closed.