Although autonomous cars are not yet available in New York or any other state, many automakers and other companies are working on developing this technology. A car that could drive itself may reduce the odds of an accident significantly, as it has been estimated that 94 percent of accidents are attributed to human error. However, there is still cause for concern about the remaining number.
Currently, drivers are required to have insurance to protect themselves and others financially in the event an accident occurs. With autonomous cars, the question of liability may be harder to answer. For now, companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Volvo would take responsibility if one of their autonomous cars gets into an accident. The technology behind autonomous cars is still a work in progress, and the cars do not do well in poor weather conditions and responding to hand signals from pedestrians.
Another issue facing autonomous car makers is the fact that only four states allow them to be tested on their roads. Therefore, it is impossible to accurately map every road in the country if a car cannot drive on it. A representative from Volvo believes that allowing autonomous cars on American highways should be a federal matter to make it easier to roll this technology out to the masses.
While some car accidents may be unavoidable due to extreme and quickly-forming weather conditions or other causes beyond the driver’s control, the great majority are caused by the negligence of another motorist. A person who has been injured in such an accident may want to meet with a personal injury attorney to determine how best to seek compensation for the medical expenses and other losses that have been incurred.