A bill introduced in Nebraska by State Sen. Suzanne Geist would make the manufacturer of the self-driving technology liable in a crash involving a vehicle capable of the “entire driving task” and operating in autonomous mode.
In the instance of a car operating together with a driver, such as a vehicle with lane-keeping assist, the driver would be liable.
According to a story in the Omaha World-Herald, Julie Maaske, the director of the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles, said the agency asked Geist to introduce the bill. She said Legislative Bill 142 is an attempt to not only clarify who is liable, but to standardize that across the nation, based on guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the federal Highway Traffic Safety Administration last summer.
L.B. 142 also requires manufacturers of automated driving systems to have at least $5 million worth of liability insurance and $1 million of insurance per vehicle, per accident.
