You were injured in a car crash and found that the initiator of the crash was driving a semi-autonomous vehicle. If the driver was not drunk or negligent in some other obvious way, then it could be that the very technology meant to assist the driver led him or her to become distracted. Distracted driving crashes are not uncommon in Pennsylvania. Every year in the U.S., an average of 3,000 people are killed in such accidents.
The problem of complacency
Semi-autonomous cars can counteract the effect of distraction by sometimes taking over the brakes or the steering wheel, but they are not self-driving cars; they still require drivers to be alert. Unfortunately, drivers can begin to feel too safe in semi-autonomous cars, let their guard down and fall into distractions.
Plenty of research backs up this claim. The Journal of Safety Research found that drivers suffer from slower reaction times, a typical sign of inattention, when in automated driving.
Automated driving not perfect
The AI programs in semi-autonomous vehicles are not perfect. For example, faced as they are with a multitude of data with every situation encountered on the road, they may experience a lag of one or two seconds. At high speeds, this is dangerous. The cameras and sensors may fail to gather data on occasion, especially in bad weather.
What to do after a catastrophic injury
If a vehicle defect unknown to the driver is to blame for a crash, then you may be able to pursue a claim with the automaker. In most car accidents, though, drivers are at fault, so you would file against the guilty party’s auto insurance company. Particularly if you suffered from brain or spinal injuries, it may be wise to see a lawyer for a case assessment.