Who is Liable when Autopilot or Driver-Assist Systems Fail?

Manufacturers have increasingly been installing driver assist systems in newly made vehicles. If one of these systems, or autopilot assistance, fails and causes you or your loved one’s injuries, Riverside car accident attorneys at Heiting & Irwin can help.

You may be entitled to substantial compensation if you are injured when involved in a crash with that car, even if you are the driver of that car. There is a wide variety of legal outcomes in these cases; and these driver-assist cars must meet standards and be safe. It is a product subject to product liability laws binding the designer, the manufacturer, the distributor, and even the seller of the vehicle.

The first step towards potential financial compensation for your injuries is to schedule a free initial consultation with Heiting & Irwin. We will begin work on your case by exploring what happened and learning who may have been responsible for it.

Autopilot and driver assistance systems are not characteristics that have proven capable of completely preventing car accidents. To the contrary, these systems may even, in some circumstances, increase the risk of a car accident. Many drivers think that the presence of these systems means that they do not need to pay attention and oversee them in the operation of the vehicle; and the systems themselves may not do what has been promised.

There Could Also Be A Claim Against the Driver

Drivers cannot just point to the failure of safety technology in their car as a defense to a claim against the driver. The motorist has overall responsibility for exercising due care behind the wheel. For example, if the driver was relying on a blind check detection sensor, and they ended up making a lane change that resulted in an accident and injuries, they, as well as the product might be held responsible for the lane change itself.

Drivers can be responsible for the actions of their vehicles. They may turn to the product for contribution or to lay the blame there; but it starts with the drivers themselves.

Suing the Manufacturer or Designer

Of course, the car’s manufacturer may not be off the hook, even though the driver was inattentive or their actions may have been partially to blame for the accident. A product liability lawsuit may still be viable. Was there:

• A defective design or failure of the software?
• Engineering flaws based on how the driver assist system was made?
• Failure to issue the necessary safety warnings to drivers or inform them of defects, limitations, failures, or instructions on use?
• Failure to issue recalls and performing warranty work on autopilot or driver assist systems?

If the system was designed or built by a third party, that third party may also be accountable in a product liability claim. For example, they may have programmed an autopilot system with a defective or incomplete algorithm, or they may not have completely cleared it before selling the design / product. OEM equipment makers can be responsible for any defective components that they supplied.

There are challenges in determining the proper party to sue. For instance, the driver may have veered out of their lane and slammed into your car, and your first thought may be to go after the driver. What is important is that you include all of the proper defendants, and you maximize your chances at full recovery of damages. It would be up to the court, as a last resort, to apportion liability between them.

A car accident attorney who also has a background in product liability cases would be the best choice. They would have the knowledge and experience to consider the facts and review the case for choices or for all possible defendants in your case. That is exactly what we have at Heiting & Irwin.

Contact a Riverside Car Accident Law Firm

Get the legal answers you need by contacting an experienced Riverside car accident attorney at Heiting & Irwin. We can discuss your case during a free initial consultation, which you can schedule by visiting our website or by calling us today at (951) 682-6400. There is no fee to discuss the case; and there is never any fee unless you win.