How Often Are Car Accidents Caused by Self-Driving Cars?

 Posted on July 13, 2023 in Car Accidents

Advances in technology have been revolutionizing the automotive industry in recent years. This technology includes cars that provide driver assistance, which can range from limited forms of automation to vehicles that fully operate on their own. While some people have embraced this technology with open arms, others remain skeptical about its effectiveness and whether it is truly safe. While these systems are meant to improve roadway safety, recent studies have shown that self-driving cars have been involved in a significant number of car accidents.

Problems With Autopilot and Self-Driving Technology

Self-driving cars have some advantages when compared to other types of vehicles. They are equipped with cameras and sensors that help them detect and avoid potential hazards. The computer systems that operate these vehicles are meant to follow traffic signs and signals, detect the movements of other vehicles, and avoid collisions by slowing down or stopping in response to vehicles, pedestrians, motorcycles, or obstacles in the road. However, despite the ongoing advances in technology, self-driving cars are not entirely safe, and accidents happen more often than many people realize.

A recent analysis of traffic accident statistics found that more than 800 car accidents involving self-driving vehicles have taken place since 2019. The vast majority of these accidents involved Tesla vehicles that were operating in Autopilot mode. Teslas accounted for 736 accidents, with 17 of these accidents involving fatalities.

With so many accidents involving Teslas, concerns have been raised about the company's use of self-driving technology. Tesla's Autopilot mode is generally meant to allow cars to drive on highways while reducing drivers' need to fully control their vehicles. However, drivers are required to keep their hands on the steering wheel and continue watching the road. To get around these requirements, some drivers have affixed weights to steering wheels and failed to fully pay attention to the road, and this has led to dangerous accidents.

Tesla also offers Full Self-Driving mode, which may be used on local roads, with vehicles maneuvering through traffic, obeying traffic signs and signals, and making turns and lane changes. The number of Tesla owners who use this feature has expanded from 12,000 to around 400,000 over the past year, and during this time, the number of accidents involving self-driving vehicles has also increased significantly. While conclusive data about the number of accidents that occur when vehicles are using Full Self-Driving has been kept secret by Tesla, the increased use of this feature has likely led to more accidents.

Even though self-driving technology has been touted as safe, there are several issues that indicate otherwise. These vehicles do not always recognize or respond correctly to pedestrians, motorcycles, or emergency vehicles, and they may fail to slow down or stop in time to avoid collisions. In other cases, there have been issues involving "phantom braking," in which vehicles slow down or stop suddenly even when there are no hazards on the road. Drivers may rely on Autopilot or similar technologies without fully understanding their limitations, and when they do not remain focused on maintaining control of their vehicles, accidents are more likely to occur.

Contact Our Greenwich Car Accident Lawyers

While autonomous vehicle technology can provide some benefits, it is far from foolproof, and as more and more drivers use self-driving cars, the number of accidents involving these vehicles is likely to increase. At Ivey, Barnum & O'Mara, LLC, our Greenwich car accident attorneys can help people who have been injured by self-driving vehicles understand their options for pursuing compensation for their injuries. We can address driver negligence in these situations while also helping determine whether legal action may be taken against vehicle manufacturers who failed to put the proper safety measures in place. Contact us today at 203-661-6000 to set up a free consultation and learn more about how we can help with these and other types of car accidents.