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How automation impacts the law
Global | Gothenburg

How automation impacts the law

5 Sep 2018

Mårten Johansson, President of IRU’s technical affairs group, spoke in Gothenburg this week about the promise of automated vehicles to address transport challenges, and the legal frameworks that will need to be adapted to ensure automation is efficient, secure, safe and sustainable. 

In his speech, Mr Johansson explained that as higher levels of autonomy are commercially introduced, the balance of liability shifts from driver liability to owner/product liability, ultimately leading to complete liability resting with vehicle manufactures and technology providers. 

Therefore, governments, insurance companies and technology providers need to evolve existing liability laws in order to provide legal certainty and identify appropriate solutions for damage and injury. 

“In many cases, automated freight vehicles will help address the many challenges facing our industry from improving road safety, to climate-smart development and economic prosperity. But we will need to adapt not only our infrastructure for these new vehicles, but the legal framework for managing liability”, explained Mr. Johansson.

Mr Johansson spoke at the High Capacity Transport Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The impact of automation on the transport industry will be debated at the World Congress in Oman.