Safety Criteria and Liability for Assistance Systems in Self-Driving Vehicles
Dr. Andreas Eustacchio
LL.M. (London School of Economics), Rechtsanwalt, Cavaliere
September 2, 2026
Automated Routes to the Law
ZVR Road Traffic Law Conference 2017
The use of new technologies and machine-controlled vehicles challenges our legal system. When machines rather than people control vehicles and predetermined algorithms make decisions, can a person still be held responsible for a machine’s misconduct? When people become mere passengers, how much trust will society place in self-driving cars and technology that remains difficult to understand? Could compulsory motor-vehicle liability insurance eventually become obsolete? This article examines responsibility for accidents caused by assistance systems installed in automated vehicles and considers the future of motor-vehicle liability insurance.
