Legal Challenges in Self-Driving Cars: an In-Depth Analysis

Abstract

The emergence of autonomous vehicles (AVs), or self-driving cars, marks a major transformation in transportation, offering improved safety, efficiency, and accessibility. These advanced machines, driven by artificial intelligence and sophisticated sensors, promise to reduce traffic accidents caused by human error, reshape cities, and enhance mobility, especially for those with physical or geographic limitations. Beyond the technological benefits, AVs raise serious legal and ethical challenges. Traditional laws, built around human drivers, struggle to address issues like liability and accountability in machine-operated vehicles. As control shifts from humans to algorithms, legal frameworks must evolve to manage responsibility in the event of accidents or failures. This paper explores key legal questions, including the move from negligence to product liability, the inconsistency of regulations across jurisdictions, and the ethical concerns in programming AV decision-making. It calls for updated, harmonized legal approaches to ensure the responsible and just integration of AVs into society.