Self-Driving Vehicle Accident Lawyer

The future is here, and cars that can carry passengers around without a driver’s input are hitting the roads. There are some fully autonomous cars and more semi-autonomous vehicles in which drivers can let go of the reigns. Several automakers and tech companies are developing this technology, and while their advancements are impressive, these vehicles are not without problems. Many self-driving and semi-autonomous cars have been involved in crashes.

If you or a loved one are injured in a collision with a self-driving or driverless vehicle, contact our self-driving vehicle accident lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz P.A. right away. Our Miami car accident lawyers are keeping up to date with self-driving car technology, traffic accidents, and legal developments. We are here to help during what is likely to be a complicated insurance claim and litigation process.

To talk with us about how we can help you, do not hesitate to reach out through our online form or call (877) 475-2905 to schedule a free consultation.

Levels of Self-Driving Cars

As self-driving and driverless vehicles become more common, it is important to distinguish between the levels of technology available. The Society of Automotive Engineers has outlines six levels of autonomy for vehicles.

• Level 0: These are your standard vehicles, which lack autonomous driving features, though they may have safety features like lane departure warnings, cruise control, and forward collision warnings.
• Level 1: These vehicles have one or more features that can intervene in the steering, acceleration, or braking of the vehicle. However, these features do not work in tandem to fully control the vehicle.
• Level 2: These vehicles have autonomous technology that can work simultaneously to control the steering and speed of the vehicle without a driver’s intervention for brief periods of time. The features cannot control the vehicle in all situations.
• Level 3: These vehicles have fully autonomous features in all driving conditions, but they require a driver’s presence. The autonomous features may revert back to the driver in certain conditions.
• Level 4: These are fully autonomous vehicles that are able to operate without any intervention from the driver other than to receive the destination. They are intended to operate under any conditions, and if the features fail, the vehicle stops.
• Level 5: These fully autonomous vehicles are intended to operate without a driver’s input and may be designed without controls for a human driver.

Many of the vehicles we consider self-driving or semi-autonomous on the roads right now are Level 2, 3, and 4. If you are in a crash with a vehicle that you learn was using an autonomous feature, contact our self-driving vehicle accident attorneys today.

Self-Driving Cars on the Roads

There are several different semi-autonomous and fully autonomous vehicles on the roads right now, including but not limited to:

• Google’s Waymo: What began as Googles self-driving car project has grown into Waymo, which is a fully owned subsidiary of Alphabet. It has a driving service on the roads in the Phoenix, Arizona area. This allows pre-qualified riders to call a self-driving vehicle to get from point A to point B.
• May Mobility: A self-driving vehicle shuttle service. The shuttle is available in Detroit and Grand Rapids, Michigan and Columbus, Ohio. These vehicles are designed to move at low speeds through college and corporate campuses or business districts.
• Drive.ai: Another self-driving vehicle shuttle service, which is available in Frisco and Arlington, Texas.
• Tesla: Tesla offers models that come with a semi-autonomous driving feature. Drivers can turn it on and let the vehicle control the ride. The Tesla Model S and Model X are two of the best known semi-autonomous vehicles on the roads.
• Uber: The well-known ridesharing service has developed self-driving vehicles to carry passengers around in. The program is located in Pittsburgh, but the company also has vheicles in Arizona and California.
• Aptiv: This company has autonomous vehicles available in Las Vegas, Nevada. They also test cars in Boston and Pittsburgh.
• Aurora: This company is working with manufacturers like Volkswagen and Hyundai to create self-driving vehicles. Their VW e-Golfs and Lincoln MKZs are in Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Pittsburgh.
• Cruise: This company is owned by General Motors, and their autonomous Chevy Bolts are in San Francisco, Scottsdale, Arizona, and Orion, Michigan,
• Argo: Ford is working with Argo AI to create self-driving cars, and has models in Dearborn, Michigan, Miami, and Pittsburgh.
• Nuro: These self-driving cars in Scottsdale are delivering groceries.
• Volvo: The 2019 Volvo CX60 with Pilot Assist offers a semi-autonomous driving feature. The system can manage steering, accelerating, and braking for up 80 mph on marked roads.
• Cadillac: The 2018 Cadillac CT6 has several semi-autonomous driving features that can be used under certain conditions.
• Mercedes: The 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class comes with many semi-autonomous features, allowing drivers to rely on the vehicle under certain conditions.
• Zoox: This manufacturing has two dozen autonomous Toyota Prius and Highlanders in San Francisco.

As you can see, there are many makes and models of fully or semi-autonomous vehicles on the road. Whether they are in the city where you live or work, or you encounter them while you travel, there is a chance you could be involved in a collision with a vehicle that was not under the driver’s control. In this situation, it is important that you speak with a car accident lawyer for self-driving vehicles.

Your attorney will conduct an extensive investigation to determine what caused the crash and whether the self-driving vehicle was at fault. If the vehicle malfunctioned, you may have the right to pursue compensation from the vehicle maker.

Contact Gerson & Schwartz P.A. For Help

After you are hurt in any type of car accident in which you believe the other driver was at fault, contact our veteran attorneys at Gerson & Schwartz P.A. Our team has decades of collective experience in handling personal and commercial vehicle accidents. We are prepared to deal with the new insurance and legal ramifications of self-driving cars.

To talk with us, call (305) 371-600 to schedule a free consultation.

---