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186 SOUTHWESTERN LAW REVIEW [Vol. 44
nineteen car manufacturers working on this technology and several software
companies including Google Inc., Microsoft, Mobilete, QNX Software
Systems Ltd.
50
There are also business consulting services focused on
researching the marketing and selling that data to interested companies.
51
Thus, it seems quite certain that these cars will soon be on the roads for
regular consumer use.
52
And yet, although, as noted, the cars will feature
technology already in use in luxury vehicles and likely be priced as such,
the complete reliance on computer algorithms and other technologies to
drive will undoubtedly trigger a lack of trust that the autonomous cars will
operate as intended in all situations.
53
At the 2014 Detroit motor show,
Ulrich Eichhorn, Managing Director of the German car makers’ industry
association, the VDA, observes “the pressure for autonomous cars and their
role in preventing accidents will be almost overwhelming. ‘They’ll initially
50. See Autonomous Vehicles, NAVIGANT RESEARCH, http://www.navigantresearch.com/
research/autonomous-vehicles (last visited Oct. 22, 2014). The following car companies are
involved in developing autonomous cars: Audi AG, BMW AG, Chrysler, Daimler AG, FIA S.p.A,
Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda Motor Company, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors Corp.,
Nissan Motor Company, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Renault S.A., Tesla Motors, Toyota Motor Corp.,
Volkswagen, Volvo Car Corp. In addition to the mentioned software companies, Navigant cite
seventeen companies as “key industry players” and a few others involved such as: 2getthere,
Connected Vehicle Trade Association, and Ultra Global. Id.
51. See id. (commenting that liability issues must be resolved before commercialization can
occur and encourage lawmakers and insurance companies to address the issues immediately).
52. See Driverless Cars, PHYS.ORG (Nov. 21, 2013), http://phys.org/news/2013-11-
driverless-cars.html. In 2013, self-driving cars were becoming reality. In Japan, “Mazda is
testing how different types of cars and trams cab communicate with each other.” Id. Google
launched a driverless car project. BWM presented the Traffic Jam Assistant, a “technology that
ensures that a vehicle keeps a certain distance from the car in front of it” that is meant to work at
speeds of up to 40 km/hour (approximately 25 mph). Id. The vehicle will increase the speed and
break as needed. “Ford presented a system that uses radars, ultrasonic sensors, and a camera that
monitors a 200 [meter] strip of road. The driver is given a warning if they are in danger of driving
into anything, and if they fail to respond then the car will avoid the obstacle itself by breaking or
steering.” Id. Cars are being programmed to communicate with each other through Wi-Fi
network systems, cameras, and radar and are being tested by universities and car manufacturers
worldwide. Id. A company called TU Delft is working on a system that will improve GPS signals
using predictions of atmospheric conditions and satellite orbits. Id. Notably, TU Delft does not
recommend drivers be passive and un-alert. Rather the cars are designed to monitor driver
alertness with infrared camera eye tracking, rendering the driver a supervisor of the vehicle, akin
to an aircraft pilot. Id.
53. Pricing would likely be in keeping with that for semi-autonomous (some automated
features) vehicles already on the market. Navigant Research expects early versions to include an
extra $10,000, and after the technology has evolved, cost less than $2,000. See Dave Alexander,
Autonomous Vehicles: Your Questions Answered, NAVIGANT RESEARCH BLOG (Dec. 2, 2013),
http://www.navigantresearch.com/blog/autonomous-vehicles-your-questions-answered; see also
DEP’T OF DEFENSE, DEFENSE SCIENCE BOARD, TASK FORCE REPORT: THE ROLE OF AUTONOMY
IN DOD SYSTEMS 2 (2012), available at http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports/
AutonomyReport.pdf.