Why Would A Passenger In A Driverless Car Have To Prove They Are Not At Fault?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38058600
..and so it begins, I've said many times that the tech is close but the real problems will be insurance and legal. This is the start of it. If we can be blamed when not driving what's the point?

[EDDIE51]

^ They don't exceed the speed limit, fail to notice another car, signal incorrectly or not at all,drive drunk or tired, drive too close to the car in front,drive a car with a fault, get blinded by the low sun,or talk to the passengers either!!

[bhg481]

jno - in another thread:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Law/Question1522972-2.html

at 16:46 Barmaid explains the difference between a legal action (for prosecution), where guilt has to be proved and civil action (for damages), where blame can be determined by balance of probabilities. Insurers are only concerned with damages, not prosecution.

[jno]

bhg, yes, but as I understand it, if the insurers are taking action to recover damages, they'll still need to prove their case, even though the standard of proof is lower. They can't just say "I want £10,000 in damages - you prove you don't have to pay them."

[bhg481]

I think it's their own insured vehicle they're thinking about jno, not damages to the third party. If you claim you were in a self-driving vehicle that was involved in an accident then the manufacturer is to blame and your insurance company can claim from them. If it turns out that you had taken over control then the accident is down to you, your insurance company has to pay for any damage and, most likely, your policy will cost more at renewal.

[1ozzy]

//If you claim you were in a self-driving vehicle that was involved in an accident then the manufacturer is to blame and your insurance company can claim from them//

Depends who is at fault, maybe another driver left no option but to be involved.

Driver-less cars are a reality, it's the legal system that needs to be sorted.

One day it will.

[bhg481]

1ozzy - sorry, I didn't make it clear that the vehicle in question was "obviously" the at-fault vehicle, in which case the company insuring it will want to know whether the driver or the car was the sinner.

[1ozzy]

No doubt Bhg there will be "un-avoidable" collisions between autonomous vehicles in the future.

I do believe that it will be a lot less than collisions with humans at the controls.

Once the legalities are sorted we will have a much safer road system.

[bhg481]

Absolutely right 1ozzy.