You may have seen driverless cars being tested on the roads, and you may have even some in car crashes. But car makers say that without consistent rules on who’s to blame in such accidents, their drive to bring the technology to market will be delayed.
The inadequate regulations have become a major barrier to driverless car adoption, according to a BBC report. Now Volvo is joining Google in saying it will accept full liability if its driverless cars crash, in order to fast-track marketing of the cars.
Volvo Cars President Hakan Samuelsson praised the U.S. for taking the lead in autonomous car technology, but suggested that the country is falling behind due to its inconsistent and inadequate testing, certification and regulations. Currently each state has its own driverless car rules, with some states allowing road testing, while others have stricter standards.
In Europe, rules also vary country to country, making for an even more challenging environment for car makers.
Volvo’s pledge applies in any situation when the car’s technology causes an accident, according to the company’s chief technical officer. If the technology is misused by the customer or if the accident is caused by a third-party, the company would not accept liability, he said.