Who's Responsible if a Tesla on Autopilot Kills Someone?

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Mark17

I wonder what the impact on car insurance would be. And would anyone need a drivers' license?

Great questions. I would assume anyone purchasing their own driverless car would still be responsible for purchasing insurance on it in case it does any damage to others or their property. As to the potential impact on the cost of that insurance, lord knows. Would likely depend a lot on how the courts view responsibility and liability in cases involving driverless vehicles, and I'm guessing we haven't seen enough to fully determine where that will all end up in the near future.

As for driver's licenses, if you have a vehicle you truly aren't actively driving, I'd have to believe a driver's license wouldn't be needed. However, a big difference may be in if you actually purchase and own a driverless vehicle, as opposed to just hiring and using them like an Uber or a taxi. As the owner of a driverless vehicle, I would assume the state would require someone, either the owner or manufacturer, to have the driving system periodically checked and tested to make sure it is properly updated for current rules and regulations, and that it operating in accordance with required rules and laws. There will likely still be some type of driving license for the vehicle to still be required, but who will be responsible for getting and paying for it, that may be another question.

As for people that now have and operate a vehicle with assisted/driverless systems, what I would like to know is why states still seem to only require a standard driver's license to own and operate one? If we are really going forward with such a dramatic change in how vehicles will be operated on our streets in the future, wouldn't you think that the states should have immediately jumped on getting a whole new set of tests and requirements for licensing people to own and operate such driverless and driving assisted vehicles? Like the story earlier told about the woman who put her vehicle on cruise control, and then went to make a cup of tea, there are a lot of things people don't obviously know or always understand about operating such vehicles. You would think (hope) the states would have realized that they should have immediately instituted new training, tests and licensing procedures for this entirely new type of vehicle, and its operation and it's operators, that is going to become the norm whether we all like it or not.