Guidelines for Driverless Cars Released by the US Department of Transportation

Automated automobiles are in the news more and more lately. From Tesla’s first fatal accident to Otto’s first beer delivery by a self-driving semi-truck, the future of automated vehicles seems to be upon us.

In response to this new reality, the US Department of Transportation has released its first guidelines for driverless vehicles. The guidelines address safety standards for autonomous vehicles and clarified how current regulations may be applied to self-driven cars. The guidelines addressed issues such as:

• Reaction of self-driving cars to technological malfunctions
• Preservation of the privacy of passengers in self-driving cars
• Protection of passengers in a car accident
• Security measures for the vehicle’s technology
• Communication between autonomous vehicles on the roadways and with passengers

Bryan Thomas, a representative of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), remarked about the new guidelines, “We left some areas intentionally vague because we wanted to outline the areas that need to be addressed and leave the rest to innovators.”

At Steinberg Law Firm we represent injured victims and their families. If you have been seriously injured in or lost a loved one because of a car accident, call the experienced car accident lawyers at Steinberg Law Firm today at 843-720-2800 for your free consultation. We represent clients throughout the Charleston, South Carolina region.