"Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina, believes automated vehicles are already legal in the United States, and wrote a 110-page law review article aimed at proving his point. To reach his conclusion, Smith combed through state laws, federal regulations and even international treaties. “It comes down to a question of interpretation or enforcement discretion,” he says. “A state or a community that is really supportive of automated driving may well conclude that the laws already support it. A state or community that is resistant to automated driving will likely reach the opposite conclusion.”
Supporters of driverless cars, Smith argues, can bolster their case without passing a law like the ones in California and Nevada explicitly regulating their use. “What I recommend,” he says, “is to start by doing a close, careful legal audit of existing law. Identify all of the potential provisions in the vehicle code and other laws that are relevant to automated vehicles. Then decide if those need to be changed.”"
- Date Published:03/01/2016
- Original Publication:Governing