Driverless cars are essentially "moving computers." No longer just a sci-fi concept, these vehicles operate as taxis in parts of the U.S. In this episode of “Bytes,” jargon-free insights from Skadden’s IP and Tech team, Akvile Jaseviciute breaks down how autonomous vehicles work and how questions about liability shift once human drivers are removed from the equation. As Akvile explains, “Certifying that a vehicle is safe without a human fallback is yet another live regulatory challenge.” Tune in as she weighs in on the regulatory and legal future of this futuristic technology.
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Transcripts
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Welcome to “Bytes” from “SkadBytes,” jargon-free, byte-size insights from Skadden's IP and Tech Team on the key issues shaping the tech landscape.
Akvile Jaseviciute (:
Hi, I'm Akvile from the IP and Technology Team here in Skadden London. In this “Bytes,” we're discussing autonomous vehicles. At their core, driverless cars are moving computers, using a mix of cameras, radars, LiDAR sensors and onboard systems to interpret the environment and make decisions.
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Many cars today already include early features of autonomy, like lane keeping, adaptive cruise control or self-parking. But there's a scale. Levels from one to five, which ranges from basic driver assistance to full automation without human input. We are already seeing level four vehicles in limited settings. Companies like Waymo and Cruise already operate driverless taxis in parts of the U.S., though these systems are still restricted to specific conditions and locations.
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These vehicles are being developed to recognize traffic signals, pedestrians and even respond to unexpected situations. Level five, however, full automation in all environments, remains a future goal. There are still technical challenges around this, like handling unpredictable scenarios or poor weather. There are also regulatory and legal hurdles. When human drivers are being removed from the equation, questions around liability shift – from the driver to the manufacturer, software supplier or even infrastructure provider.
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Certifying that a vehicle is safe without a human fallback is yet another live regulatory challenge, especially under evolving U.K. and EU frameworks. Under the EU AI Act, many autonomous driving systems could be classified as high-risk. This is because of their potential impact on safety and fundamental rights. This means stricter obligations for manufacturers and software suppliers around transparency, data governance, safety and accountability.
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For example, autonomous vehicles generate huge amounts of location and sensor data, raising concerns about persistent surveillance, profiling and lawful access by law enforcement. Still, the outlook is looking promising. Adoption will likely grow gradually, starting with logistics, highway driving and ride hailing in set areas. But legal, regulatory, commercial questions around risk, data and liability are still outstanding, and they will need to evolve in step with the technology.
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