The debate is still raging about the safety of self-driving cars, and it seems Tesla has thrown yet another curveball into the mix. Tesla owners can now use Smart Summon to ask their car to drive to them from a distance up to 200 feet. While Tesla warns drivers to use this only in private parking lots and driveways, there are already plenty of YouTube videos showing people trying it out in busy shopping mall parking lots and more.
Tesla drivers are paying around $6,000 for the feature, and the company promises to update it in the future to include more capabilities, including full self-driving mode. For now, the feature only allows the car to come to the person holding the smartphone that summoned it.
Is it safe? So far, there are a few videos showing Teslas narrowly missing pedestrians and curbs, and Tesla warns users to beware of faster moving objects that the car might not be able to respond to in time, like pets and bicyclists. And because Arizona is a state that has very few restrictions on using autonomous vehicles, it’s not hard to imagine that you’ll to see a completely empty Tesla driving itself through a parking lot at some point soon.
But who is responsible if someone is hit? That’s where the experienced car accident attorneys at The Husband and Wife Law Team come in. It can be difficult sometimes to determine who is at fault when there are two drivers behind the wheels of their cars. However, it gets much more complicated when there isn’t a driver behind one or more of them. Is it the owner of the car who is responsible because they tested their Smart Summon in a busy parking lot and didn’t follow the warnings? Is it the Tesla company that is responsible because their technology had glitches? Is it the local government that didn’t put enough restrictions on the automakers? While advanced technology can be exciting and can make our lives easier, it can also be dangerous and deadly in some instances. And while we hope no one is hurt, we also realize that accidents do happen and victims need proper representation.
If you have been in an accident involving a self-driving car, we work hard to uncover the facts behind what happened and negotiate a settlement on your behalf. The Husband and Wife Law Team is dedicated to helping victims get the justice and financial reimbursement they need. Contact us today for a free consultation.