People Are Usually At-Fault in Autonomous Vehicle Accidents

We’re quick to blame the tech of self-driving vehicles whenever there is a crash. As it turns out, the major hindrance to the proliferation of safe self-driving vehicles on the road may actually be us. A new report detailed in Axios indicates that of the 88 accidents involving autonomous vehicles (AVs) in California since 2014, people were at fault in 81 – and the vehicle itself was to blame in one instance (when the vehicle was in autonomous mode).

Self-driving cars are currently under development by dozens of companies. In fact, in California, 55 companies currently have permits to test these vehicles.

Human drivers are the weak link

According to the new report, getting humans out of the picture may be the key to ensuring an AV stays accident free. After evaluating numerous incident reports filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles in California from 2014 to 2018, about 92 percent of the accidents involving AVs were the fault of humans.

The statistics by driving mode

The Axios report differentiates between AV accidents occurring in autonomous mode versus conventional mode. As well, it includes data on whether the vehicle was stopped or traveling when the car accident occurred.

Of the 61 of 62 accidents recorded while the vehicle was in autonomous mode and not at fault, it is presumed that drivers of other vehicles were at fault. When the car was driven in conventional mode by a human driver, AVs were responsible for the accident in just 6 out of 26 cases.

AV testing is expanding

Although autonomous vehicle giants such as Tesla, Uber, and Waymo may garner much of the attention in the industry, they are only a small portion of nearly five dozen companies in California with authorization to test self-driving vehicles. As well, efforts are underway to ensure these vehicles can be tested without limitation in a wide range of areas and routes.

These technological self-driving marvels must be thoroughly tested under standard driving conditions. Many in the industry believe that if human drivers remain a heavy part of the driving equation, accidents involving AVs will continue. Naturally, a considerable transition is necessary to having roadways navigated exclusively by AVs. There are numerous technological issues to be sorted out and the public must completely endorse this form of technology before its implementation can expand at a breakneck pace. Within the Axios report, three of the accidents involved humans attacking or climbing on top of AVs, indicating that total acceptance of this technology in the public domain has not yet arrived.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to the negligence of another party or an autonomous vehicle, our team of Los Angeles car crash attorneys at Taylor & Ring is here to help you. We can provide you with the intelligent and vigorous advocacy you need to secure the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses. Let’s discuss your case together with a free, no obligation consultation. Call us today at 310.776.6390 or send us a request through our contact form.