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The Future Is Here — But Who Pays When Driverless Truck Accidents?
Autonomous trucks, once science fiction in movies, are now rolling down America’s highways. Companies like Tesla, Waymo, Aurora, TuSimple, Embark, and others are aggressively testing and deploying self-driving trucks and cars across the country. While these companies promise safety, efficiency, and reduced labor costs, one serious question remains: Who is legally responsible when a driverless truck causes a devastating crash?
As personal injury attorneys who handle catastrophic trucking cases, we’re seeing firsthand how these accidents create complex legal battles unlike any traditional truck accident.
In a typical truck accident, investigators look at whether the driver was speeding, distracted, fatigued, or impaired. Liability usually rests with the truck driver and potentially the trucking company that employed them. But fully autonomous trucks remove the human driver entirely — replacing years of professional experience and real-time judgment with sensors, artificial intelligence, machine learning algorithms, and automated software systems.
When a driverless vehicle crashes, liability may no longer focus on a single driver’s decisions but instead on a web of responsible parties, including:
In several high-profile driverless accident lawsuits already reveal serious flaws in autonomous vehicle safety systems:
Uber (Tempe, AZ, 2018)
A self-driving Uber test vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian walking her bicycle across the road. The vehicle’s software failed to classify her presence correctly and did not apply brakes in time. This was the first recorded pedestrian death involving a self-driving vehicle.
Tesla Autopilot Underride Deaths
Multiple crashes have occurred where Tesla vehicles operating in Autopilot mode collided with crossing tractor-trailers, failing to detect the white side profile of trailers, driving directly under them — causing deadly underride fatalities.
Cruise Robotaxi (San Francisco, 2023)
A Cruise autonomous robotaxi struck and then dragged a pedestrian approximately 20 feet. Investigators revealed that after the initial collision, the software “forgot” the pedestrian remained trapped beneath the vehicle as it continued moving.
Tesla FSD Child Mannequin Tests (Austin, TX, 2025)
Safety advocates exposed Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system’s failure to detect child-sized mannequins placed in crosswalk scenarios — revealing gaps in pedestrian detection AI that could endanger real children.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) govern the commercial trucking industry but were designed for human drivers. These regulations require:
Autonomous trucks are physically incapable of complying with many of these accident and safety requirements in direct violation of the FMCSA. A self-driving truck cannot exit the cab to place warning devices if it breaks down. If disabled on a highway shoulder at night or in fog, it may create a deadly hazard for approaching motorists who receive no advanced warning of the obstruction.
Beyond breakdowns, human truck drivers often serve as first responders — pulling injured people from wrecked vehicles, calling for help, or even intervening in emergencies such as child abductions or violent incidents on roadways. Autonomous trucks offer no such human protection. They cannot rescue trapped motorists, offer assistance, or exercise moral judgment in a crisis.
Autonomous truck injury cases are legally complicated for several reasons:
Multiple Defendants
Unlike ordinary crashes with one driver at fault, these cases may involve claims against:
Complex Electronic Evidence
Self-driving vehicles generate massive amounts of data:
Preserving this electronic evidence quickly is critical before data gets lost, overwritten, or hidden behind corporate legal teams.
Rapidly Changing Technology and Standards
Because autonomous vehicle technology evolves so rapidly, safety protocols, software versions, and regulatory guidance may shift between when a crash occurs and when litigation begins — complicating expert witness testimony.
Lack of Industry Transparency
Many companies operating autonomous fleets refuse to release full data about their crashes, software limitations, or failure rates, requiring aggressive legal discovery tactics to uncover evidence.
Another growing concern involves the cyber vulnerability of self-driving trucks. These vehicles depend on:
Hackers may potentially:
The combination of physical mass and digital vulnerability makes autonomous trucks a serious security concern — adding yet another layer of liability for fleet operators and manufacturers who fail to secure these systems.
Because these driverless vehicle cases are so legally complex, victims often don’t realize they may have strong legal claims. Multiple parties may share financial responsibility for your injuries — even if no human driver was present at the time of the crash.
Find out more how to file an injury lawsuit after a driverless vehicle accident, and the importance of acting quickly to preserve evidence. This resource explains:
If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries after a crash involving a driverless truck or car, you need experienced legal representation — immediately.
Attorney David P. Willis has handled serious injury and complex accident cases for over 40 years, is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1988, and previously served as an attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas. Our firm has successfully recovered 100’s of millions of dollars for injured victims and their families.
All cases are handled on a contingency fee basis — meaning you pay absolutely nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Talk to a truck accident and product liability attorney about your injury case involving a driverless truck or car accident. Don’t Delay, Critical Digital Evidence May be Lost
Call 1-888-LAW-2040 now for a free, 100% confidential consultation available 24/7.
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