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Up to 94% of all traffic accidents are caused by human error according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. So would removing human error make our roads safer?

This is the concept behind self-driving cars, the innovative vehicles that use technology to stay safe on the road. There are already about 30 million partially autonomous vehicles in the world and this number is expected to exceed 50 million within just a few years.

Truly "driverless" fully autonomous cars exist but they aren't widespread on the roads - at least, not yet! Companies like Tesla, Waymo, and Uber seem determined to change that as soon as possible.

From a legal standpoint, self-driving cars create complex problems. Plus, driverless car accidents are on the rise. Here in California, some people are skeptical that they're really making our roads safer.

At Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers, we've been watching the autonomous car trend unfold as California has become famous for its driverless car evolution. Here are some of the potential pros and cons:

Pro: Less Room for Human Error

Ideally, self-driving cars minimize the chance of a person making an error that leads to an accident. These vehicles are supposed to stay safely in their lane, follow traffic rules, and protect the people inside the vehicle as well as others on the road.

But reality doesn't always match this perfect picture. Research shows self-driving features give people a false sense of safety that leads to unsafe driving behavior. For example, someone might assume a partially autonomous car drives on "autopilot" but actually, it still needs human guidance.

Con: More Room for Technological Error

Here's an obvious but significant drawback about self-driving cars: They rely heavily on technology. So far, self-driving vehicle technology is a bit glitchy and prone to errors.

Look at the famous example of the San Francisco pedestrian killed in a self-driving Uber crash. Investigators determined the vehicle's technology sensed that the pedestrian was there but failed to apply the brakes. The human driver was too distracted to react before the crash.

Pro: Reduced Traffic Congestion

One of the biggest promises of self-driving cars is the possibility of reducing congestion on our nation's roads. If driverless cars were widespread, there could be fewer accidents, fewer traffic jams, and reduced demand for highway police and EMTs. Public transportation could become much easier too.

Potentially, this could lead to additional benefits like lower insurance costs, less gasoline usage, and a minimal chance of injuries and damages from car accidents. Traveling in traffic wouldn't be such a hassle.

Con: Unpredictable Traffic Patterns

We have decades of research about how traffic patterns work with the millions of human drivers already on our roads, but there's very little information available about self-driving vehicle traffic. How would the roads be different if they were dominated by driverless cars? The truth is, nobody knows.

We tend to view machines as reliable and predictable. However, studies have found that both human drivers and self-driving cars can exhibit unpredictable behavior. Humans drive differently when they're in a rush and might run a red light out of impatience, for example.

But driverless cars aren't perfect either, and sometimes get confused by things like construction, gravel roads, pedestrians, and animals in the roadway. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says self-driving cars " could struggle to eliminate most crashes."

Pro: Potential for Faster Travel

Wouldn't it be great if we could do away with speed limits and just trust self-driving cars to transport us at rocket speed? This is one of the potentially huge benefits of driverless vehicles.

You could get home from work in a flash. School buses wouldn't slow everyone down on the road. Big rigs could deliver goods quickly and safely. Ambulances could get people to the hospital faster and save more lives.

Con: Higher Impact Crashes

Extreme speed brings extreme risk. Imagine that a self-driving car traveling at 100 mph crashes into another vehicle. This high-impact crash brings a high risk of death and severe injury.

One study found that for every 5 mph increase in speed, there were 8% more road fatalities. How self-driving cars will factor into these kinds of statistics remains to be seen.

Pro: Environmental Benefits

Here in California, we love keeping things green. Some self-driving cars use less gasoline so if more were on the roads, there could be fewer fuel-guzzling traffic jams to harm the environment.

Plus, there could be a lower risk of semi-truck accidents with chemical spills, explosions, and other environmentally damaging side effects. That's good for the Earth and good for all of us.

Con: Unforeseen Costs and Consequences

Finally, a major drawback of self-driving cars is that we simply don't know all of their potential effects yet. There's a big difference between having a few driverless cars on the road and having a road dominated by autonomous vehicles.

How will the law continue to evolve regarding self-driving cars? Nobody knows! There could be unexpected changes to the law in terms of making personal injury claims and securing compensation if a self-driving car hits you.

As the future of autonomous vehicles becomes a reality, the team at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers will be watching closely. You can trust us to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to understanding the impact of new traffic technology like self-driving cars!

We Handle Your Car Accident Claim So You Can Focus on Your Life

After your accident, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many areas of personal injury law, including self-driving car accidents. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering from your accident while we handle the legal details. We truly care about the people of California. Call 877-380-8852 today for a free case evaluation.

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The Pros and Cons of Self Driving Cars | Sally Morin Law

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Call Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers at 877-380-8852 after a self-driving car accident.

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The future may not have given us flying cars yet, but it has given us self-driving cars - sort of.

Researchers, developers, and autonomous vehicle (AV) enthusiasts have been attempting autonomous-driving capabilities since the '80s. With Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Team taking the lead in 1984, their NAV LAB AV projects were a breakthrough.

Now, fast forward to 2023 and 30 million cars later - the status quo seems to be gearing more towards a driverless society. Promises of safer roads - with less human error, and quicker and more productive commutes, all seem to be the vision of current car manufacturers like Tesla, Mercedes, and General Motors. But what are the drawbacks of ditching human-controlled cars?

The questions then become clearer. Are self-driving cars the best route for our next chapter of automotive transportation? What are the pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages? Who's liable in a self-driving car accident?

Our dedicated team at West Coast Trial Lawyers has compiled some positive and negative aspects fundamental to Self-Driving Cars in California.

Read below and feel free to mention these pointers in your next heated debate about driverless cars.

The Pros of Self-Driving Cars

Safety Improvements

Every five seconds, a car crash occurs, and 98% of those crashes are from Human error. Self-driving cars are designed to mitigate this risk. The advanced AI and sensor technology in autonomous vehicles, such as Lidar, can detect potential road hazards and adjust course in real time. Evading and dodging objects autonomously potentially leads to safer roads and f ewer accidents.

Mobility For the Masses

One of the most life-changing benefits of driverless cars is the ability to offer the elderly, disabled, or those who are unable to drive the opportunity to travel independently.

Great for Traffic Management

By communicating with each other through enhanced A.I and traffic management systems, self-driving cars could significantly improve traffic flow and reduce congestion. This future intelligent A.I navigation system could optimize road capacity and travel times.

Environmental Benefits

Self-driving vehicles, especially SD electric cars, can bring about a greener future. Getting from point A to Point B with optimized route planning and fuel efficiency could significantly reduce carbon emissions.

Productivity and Convenience

Imagine being able to work, entertain yourself, or even sleep during your commute. That's the future with self-driving cars. Why focus on driving when you could be watching Netflix or taking Zoom calls on your way to the office?

The Cons of Self-Driving Cars

Technological Errors

Recently, autonomous technology, like artificial intelligence, has advanced significantly, but it's still not perfect. Self-driving cars can sometimes struggle to handle weird or complex driving situations, including unexpected obstacles, narrow, convoluted streets, or challenging weather conditions. Computers tend to malfunction and are not impervious to errors. Just one glitch can result in a terrible accident!

Job Loss

The rise of self-driving cars could lead to job losses in sectors that rely heavily on human drivers. This includes truck, taxi, delivery, and Uber / Lyft drivers. Millions of drivers could be at risk of being displaced by these vehicles.

Cybersecurity Threats

The advanced technology that makes self-driving cars possible opens up new cybersecurity risks. There are concerns that these vehicles could be susceptible to hacking.

Self-Driving Cars are Expensive

Driverless cars come with high price tags. Although these costs are expected to decrease over time, the initial investment can be a significant barrier for many consumers. Insurance costs alone can be unaffordable for some drivers.

Legal and Insurance Woes

With new technology comes new legal and insurance challenges. In an accident involving a self-driving car, it can be challenging to determine who is at fault - the car manufacturer, the car owner, or someone else.

Who's Liable in a Self-Driving Car Accident?

According to the stipulations of California Vehicle Code 38750, all self-driving cars are required to have a safety alert mechanism. This system is intended to notify the operator in case there is a malfunction in the autonomous technology. Furthermore, the operator must be capable of assuming complete command of the self-driving car if needed.

On the other hand, in cases where an autonomous vehicle accident results from a manufacturing error, flawed design, or inadequate instructions for anticipated usage, the company responsible for creating the self-driving car could potentially bear the liability for any ensuing damages.

Are all self-driving cars electric?

While many self-driving cars are electric, we'd like to point out that not all are. The technology that makes a car drive autonomously is separate from the technology that powers the car's propulsion system, whether gas or hydrogen. Technically, when you think about it, the cruise control feature in most gas-powered cars is a very primitive form of autonomous driving.

Injured in a Driverless Car Accident? Call on West Coast Trial Lawyers

Our top-rated law firm has some of the most prolific self-driving car accident attorneys and trial lawyers in California. We are former federal prosecutors and super lawyers that have come together to give accident victims access to world-class legal representation with no upfront costs or fees.

In 2021 alone, there were over 400 driverless car crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 5 deaths and 6 critical injuries out of the 400 accidents. If you happen to be involved in a self-driving car accident, call 888-997-3519 for a free consultation or fill out this online form.

It should be noted that we have yet to accomplish full self-driving (FSD) capabilities in commercial car production. Tesla currently has only 400,000 FSD vehicles in circulation. Alphabet group's Waymo only has 25,000 driverless cars on the streets. Mind you, all of these cars are still in beta testing and not ready for mass-scale public release as of June 2023.

If you are lucky enough to be testing or using these self-driving cars, be sure to still wear your seatbelt and call on WCTL if any issues arise.

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#1 Personal Injury Lawyers | West Coast Trial Lawyers

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West Coast Trial Lawyers are the #1 personal injury lawyers in California, with over 100 years of collective experience. Let us know how we can help you today.