Self-driving cars may soon become common on roadways across Minnesota. Developers and manufacturers are working to make the technology that operates self-driving cars safer by using virtual pedestrians to test software.
Test tracks are being used to make the technology in driverless cars safer after several high-profile accidents caused public concern. Auto manufacturers are in a race to bring these cars to public roadways, but their efforts were stalled after a car accident killed a pedestrian last year. The vehicle was part of Uber’s driverless car testing program.
After the crash, Uber scaled back its use of driverless cars, and authorities placed restrictions on the program. The head of Volvo’s driverless car software program commented that everyone revised their protocols after the accident.
Volvo says it has secured partnerships with university and testing sites in the United States as part of its effort to make driverless car systems safer. The company is also receiving data about traffic, city planning and human behavior from South Korea and Singapore. The company’s CEO says this data is essential because drivers behave different in different countries.
Testing driverless technology in large trucks is even more of a challenge due to their size and weight. Driverless trucks are being tested for safety on tracks in Australia and Sweden.
An attorney experienced in personal injury may be able to help car accident victims file a claim for compensation after they have been injured. An attorney may be able to help accident victims determine which person or company is the proper party to sue. When new technology causes a serious accident, auto manufacturers and car dealers may be held responsible for the resulting injuries. If an accident was also the fault of a human driver, an attorney may be able to help clients sue more than one defendant.