San Francisco citizens likely breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw the recent news that Uber had ended their unpermitted self-driving experiment in the city. Yet, the company’s retreat should be seen as temporary rather than permanent. Instead of following through with the same permitting process that companies like Google, Tesla and Nvidia had no qualms with complying with, Uber vows to increase their efforts to develop “workable” state rules regarding such programs.
The company’s willingness to flout regulatory demands and their pledge to instead rewrite the laws in their favor shows a shocking disregard for public safety. These issues, brought about by companies like Uber and Lyft, raise other issues related to these companies’ liability for the behavior of drivers. San Franciscans should be wary of such complex legal issues if they want to preserve their right to pursue compensation for an accident that results from the ride-sharing drivers and AIs.
An Über-Sized Nightmare Averted
Self-driving cars offer an exciting future where transportation is much more accessible, safe and maybe even more efficient. The efforts of companies like Google and Tesla pioneer other technologies that can help advance self-driving AIs and prepare them for real world conditions. As part of these advancements, real-world tests are a necessity. These tests gather hard data while also providing a qualitative look at how self-driving transportation models could operate on a large scale.
Most of us are down with all of this information being collected; we just want there to be controls put in place so that complex legal questions can be answered and clarified during trials. For instance, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration just ruled that Google’s Waymo vehicles can be considered legal drivers under their laws. This ruling represents far more than just the blessing of the federal government. Instead, it provides a lens to interpret existing driving laws in a helpful way. Maybe a Waymo runs a stop sign, so Google should pay off the ticket for the AI driver they created. If a Waymo is determined to have caused a wreck, they should face liability for the damages.
Without these guidelines in place, gray areas allow legal questions to float into the ether. Or, more accurately, they allow companies like Lyft and Uber to operate in a shadow realm where they reap all of the benefits of being a registered company with none of the penalties. Uber has already shown in the past that it will vehemently fight to avoid any sort of liability by splitting hairs on when drivers are or are not considered to be “working.”
The death of a six-year-old to a passenger-less Uber driver only illustrates the need for a cut-and-dry interpretation of the law further. If Uber is able to hide behind claims that a driver is not working even though they are actively looking for passengers, then how will they react to an accident if and when their self-driving program restarts in San Francisco? “Our robots were busy caching their memory when the wreck occurred, so they weren’t technically on the clock.”
Get a Lyft or Uber Accident Attorney if You Have Been Injured
Whether a ride-sharing company wants to claim that the driver was a contractor, employee, habitual app-checker, rogue AI or solitaire-playing amusement machine on wheels, drivers of vehicles operating under their business model should be liable for accidents they cause during service.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a Lyft, Uber or self-driving vehicle of any brand, do not hesitate to fight for your right to fair compensation. You can enlist the help of an Uber accident attorney to help you prepare your claim, document your case and work against obstinate employers who try to shirk liability.
Contact the Gruber Law Group now using the number above or the quick contact form at the top right to receive a free initial consultation.
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