The Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School is a leader in the study of the law and policy around the Internet and other emerging technologies.
By Bryant Walker Smith on April 18, 2018 at 12:40 pm
Tesla can do better than its current public response to the recent fatal crash involving one of its vehicles. I would like to see more introspection, credibility, and nuance.
Introspection Read more about Tesla's Fatal Crash
By Bryant Walker Smith on March 27, 2018 at 10:45 am
Following Uber’s fatal crash in Arizona, Governor Doug Ducey is attracting attention for what he did and did not do. This is not surprising; as I noted in 2016, Arizona's governor decided to embrace Uber’s vision, for better or for worse. This discussion, however, tends to elide the important question of his actual legal authority. Read more about A sad irony for Governor Ducey after Uber's fatal crash
By Bryant Walker Smith on March 19, 2018 at 7:14 pm
An automated vehicle in Uber’s fleet fatally struck a woman crossing a street in Arizona. A few points pending more information: Read more about Uber's Fatal Crash
By Bryant Walker Smith on October 23, 2017 at 12:44 pm
My previous post on the House and Senate automated driving bills (HB 3388 and SB 1885) concluded by noting that, in addition to the federal government, states and the municipalities within them also play an important role in regulating road safety. Read more about The Senate’s automated driving bill could squash state authority
By Bryant Walker Smith on October 23, 2017 at 12:22 pm
Bills being considered by Congress deserve our attention—but not our full attention. To wit: When it comes to safety-related regulation of automated driving, existing law is at least as important as the bills currently in Congress (HB 3388 and SB 1885). Read more about Congress’s automated driving bills are both more and less than they seem
By Bryant Walker Smith on February 8, 2017 at 8:12 pm
How Governments Can Promote Automated Driving recommended that governments conduct "legal audits" to "identify and analyze every statute and regulation that could apply adversely or ambiguously to automated driving." Automated Vehicles Are Probably Legal in the United States attempted this nationwide, and now the authors of Georgia's HB 248 have produced a bill that (while not perfect) reflects a tho Read more about Legislative Shout Outs to Georgia and Virginia
By Bryant Walker Smith on December 17, 2016 at 7:47 am
Uber is testing its self-proclaimed “self-driving” vehicles on California roads without complying with the testing requirements of California’s automated driving law. California’s Department of Motor Vehicles says that Uber is breaking that law; Uber says it’s not. The DMV is correct. Read more about Uber vs. the law
By Bryant Walker Smith on September 19, 2016 at 5:00 pm
By Bryant Walker Smith on September 6, 2016 at 7:16 pm
By Bryant Walker Smith on March 22, 2016 at 9:01 am
My recently completed article presents steps that governments can take now to encourage the development, deployment, and use of automated road vehicles. After providing technical and legal context, it describes key administrative, legal, and community strategies. It concludes by urging policymakers to facilitate automated driving in part by expecting more from today’s drivers and vehicles. Read more about New Article: How Governments Can Promote Automated Driving
By Bryant Walker Smith on January 10, 2016 at 9:03 am
In the spirit of the New Year, and especially in the wake of California's draft rules for the (theoretical) operation of automated motor vehicles, I offer two resolutions for any serious developer of an automated driving (or flying) system. Such a developer should: Read more about New Years Resolutions for Developers of Automated Vehicles
By Bryant Walker Smith on December 7, 2015 at 8:52 am
By Bryant Walker Smith on May 22, 2015 at 1:42 pm
There's recently been some great reporting and advocacy regarding the legal status of the software running modern motor vehicles. Here are a few academic perspectives (courtesy mostly of Facebook): Read more about Academic Perspectives on Automotive Software Licensing
By Bryant Walker Smith on May 20, 2015 at 9:42 am
By Bryant Walker Smith on May 13, 2015 at 5:02 pm
