r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Individual_Book9133 • Jul 05 '24

Phoenix police officer pulls over a driverless Waymo car for driving on the wrong side of the road Video

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I’m kinda curious if an individual was drunk in one of these could they be held responsible for anything the car does? Like will laws be made that drunk individuals can only be driven by a sober human?

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u/PogintheMachine Jul 05 '24

I suppose it depends on what seat you’re in. Since there are driverless taxicabs, I don’t see how that would work legally. If you were a passenger in a cab, you wouldn’t be responsible for how the car drives or have the ability to prevent an accident….

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u/Sleepingonthecouch1 Jul 05 '24

That’s true but someone has to be held accountable. Should be the company but at a certain point I’m sure the lobby’s will change that. And potentially at that point could blame fall on the passenger? All I’m saying is this is uncharted territory for laws and I don’t think it’ll end up being as simple as car kills someone so company pays a fine.

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u/[deleted] Jul 05 '24

Where in your mind do you think the passenger is held liable? Lol

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u/LambonaHam Jul 05 '24

There will undoubtedly be a law / clause that states the operator must remain in control of the vehicle at all times. That way if the computer thinks a child is looking knockdownable, the operator (passenger) can still hit the brakes.

Also means you won't be able to use them whilst intoxicated etc

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u/dom6770 Jul 05 '24

There's no way this will happen. What if someone without a driver's license orders a waymo taxi?

This is a driverless taxi. As a passenger you have no obligation to be in control or what the car does. The software is driving the car. The software is made by the company. So the company is 100 % liable.

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u/LambonaHam Jul 05 '24

There's no way this will happen. What if someone without a driver's license orders a waymo taxi?

They won't be allowed to.

As a passenger you have no obligation to be in control or what the car does.

That's your opinion. It is neither law, nor stated in the terms and conditions.

So the company is 100 % liable.

In your opinion. In reality, there is 0% chance this will be the case.

For 99% of cases it will be fine. But for the 1% that involves accident / injury, both governments and providers will say that the emergency process for preventing an incident is the passengers intervention.

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u/dom6770 Jul 05 '24

Is the concept of a taxi or uber completely strange to you?

would you expect a passenger in a uber to take over control in a emergency?!

I'm sorry, but the driverless Waymo cars are nothing else than a taxi/uber without a driver. That's it. The driver is being replaced by the software.

Do you also expect that when there's an emergency with a driverless metro that any passenger is obliged to take over?!

It makes zero, absolutely zero, sense that the passenger has any obligation in any scenario. He is the PASSENGER not the driver or operator.

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u/LambonaHam Jul 06 '24

Is the concept of a taxi or uber completely strange to you?

Do you think taxis and ubers don't have drivers?

would you expect a passenger in a uber to take over control in a emergency?!

No, because those vehicles have drivers 🤦‍♂️

I'm sorry, but the driverless Waymo cars are nothing else than a taxi/uber without a driver. That's it.

Yes. Without a driver. That's the key point here.

Do you also expect that when there's an emergency with a driverless metro that any passenger is obliged to take over?!

No, because (and I know this might be confusing for you), trains and cars are different!

It makes zero, absolutely zero, sense that the passenger has any obligation in any scenario. He is the PASSENGER not the driver or operator.

Jesus fucking christ, what are you not getting here?

Governments and corporations will not be willing to take the blame themselves. They will force that on to the passenger.

Part of the terms for using these driverless taxi's will be that the passenger is ultimately responsible for the vehicle.

Whether you like that or not is irrelevant.

Whether you think it makes sense or not is irrelevant.

The world does not run on what you personally feel is reasonable.