Going driverless and liability for incidents

Welcome to the second edition of Automotive Regulatory Updates. Since our last issue in September, we have seen the UK Government give reassurances to Nissan on its commitment to creating and supporting the investment conditions for the automotive industry to progress in the United Kingdom post-Brexit, German auto-manufacturers expressing concerns about the impact of pending U.S. protectionism and Apple revealing plans for a self-driving car.

Going driverless is set to change both the shape of the automotive market and the experience of mobility beyond recognition. In this issue, Linklaters has prepared a regulatory update that explores the highly complex issue of how liability should be allocated in the event of a road traffic incident involving a driverless vehicle, with a particular focus on the recent proposal for consultation by the UK Government and commentary on other jurisdictions.