You’ve probably seen them before — driverless vehicles crisscrossing major cities. Normally, driverless cars have no issues, but what happens when one gets stuck in the middle of an intersection, bringing traffic to a halt? If a human were behind the wheel, the driver would likely get a citation and potentially a fine or points on their license. However, if the car is driverless, there’s likely no punishment. According to the Atlanta Police Department, their policy is to not issue citations to driverless vehicles. That has human drivers in an uproar, wondering why there’s a double standard. The main problem is that motor vehicle laws are focused on penalizing a driver, which means in driverless vehicles there’s a gap of responsibility. Now it’s just a matter of figuring out intersection technology and law. Courts are already having to deal with the legal limits of AI and how it impacts intellectual property. Waymo, the self-driving ride-hail service, has had a few cases in Atlanta, but until the law catches up, driverless cars will have a leg up on the rules of the road.
