Document Type

Program

Publication Date

12-8-2017

Abstract

A program for December 2017 Problem Solving Initiative at the University of Michigan Law School on the topic of automated vehicle technology.

Implementing “Level 3” automation (i.e., the driving mode in which an automated driving system performs the driving task until the human driver is asked to take over) is a significant legal/regulatory, technological, and business challenge. Many issues are presented: How do we assess the costs and benefits of Level 3 automation? How does one address the car to human driver “handoff?” What type of licensing and training of the human driver should be required? What will prevent the human driver from being lulled into overreliance on the car? How should the government regulate this space to balance safety concerns with the desire to encourage innovation? Should there be standardization of Level 3 vehicle systems so human drivers have common expectations and experiences as they transition among different cars? Some industry participants believe the challenges posed by Level 3 are intractable and have chosen to skip to Level 4 (full automation), while others believe it is necessary to gain experience with Level 3 in order to transition to full automation successfully. This semester, students were tasked with developing solutions for the challenges presented by Level 3 automation.

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