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- Title
THE GOOGLE MADE ME DO IT: THE COMPLEXITY OF CRIMINAL LIABILITY IN THE AGE OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.
- Authors
Westbrook, Clint W.
- Abstract
Technology is rapidly developing in nearly every field, and the automotive industry is no exception. Vehicle manufacturers have begun implementing impressive new automation in their high-end models, including adaptive cruise control, accident avoidance, and lane-departure warnings. But automotive technologists dream of going further--and they have. Multiple vehicle manufacturers are now testing "self-driving cars." These fully autonomous vehicles operate at the push of a button, taking their passengers wherever they want to go. And the human "driver," once responsible for every part of the vehicle's operation, is now just along for the ride. In fact, some of the most advanced prototypes have no steering wheel at all. But in this exciting age of technology, the law is struggling to keep up. For example, it was just recently, in December of 2016, that the state of Michigan--the car capital of the world--passed legislation allowing autonomous vehicle to operate on public roads. And even with those newly minted statutes, there are huge gaps in how the law will treat a vehicle without a traditional driver. Legal publications have been examining many of these issues, but one area remains particularly neglected: criminal liability. This Article will examine the uncertainty surrounding criminal liability for both the manufactures and consumers of these complex machines. Ultimately, it proposes a new system called "products culpability." This system offers a cogent framework that provides predictability if and when the self-driving car breaks the law. Who gets the ticket? Products culpability gives an answer.
- Subjects
CRIMINAL liability; AUTOMATIC systems in automobiles; CIRRUS Design Corp.; ACTIONS &; defenses (Law)
- Publication
Michigan State Law Review, 2017, Vol 2017, Issue 1, p97
- ISSN
2693-1206
- Publication type
Article