Gadgetory

the assumption that every car has a human driving it is being updated though gradually in 2014 the UN amended its 46 year old rule to allow self-driving cars largely at the urging of Germany Italy and France the homes of some big car makers that are developing the machines the new language states that a driver must be behind the wheel and can take control back at a moment's notice but that they may legally pull back from managing the wheel and pedals for some extended periods notably this UN Convention though has never covered Japan China or the u.s. in America for US states and the District of Columbia have legalized autonomous cars on public roads though for testing and with a human standing by another eleven are considering the idea 12 states have already done so and said no this sets up a problem in the huge and lucrative US car market fragmentation insurance companies or the other major rule maker if you will so far they envision a world where the driver is still fully responsible though there's been a call by California insurers to have car makers shoulder some or all of the liability around autonomous accidents a 2014 study by the RAND Corporation look at that idea and theorized it could quickly throw a lot of cold water on self-driving cars or limit the technology to high-priced flagships where the volumes are low and the price is high enough to fund the additional liability but that puts the self-driving cars benefits into a lot fewer people's hands much more to come on this of course one day it may pay the double check who is liable in an accident due or maybe your karmic more realities of modern driving revealed now at cnet on cars com click on smarter driver