How Will DOT Regulate Self-Driving Vehicles?

The U.S. Department of Transportation is applying a surprisingly light hand to the regulation of driverless vehicles. Not that DOT intends to cede its authority to oversee the new technology. On the contrary. But a new proposed policy, replacing one from three years ago, allows automakers and designers some wiggle room in how they meet the agency's strict safety standards. For example, DOT has laid out a 15-point safety assessment that's entirely voluntary in nature – as long as the end result satisfies the agency's requirements. On this episode, we speak with Katie Thomson, partner in the law firm of Morrison Foerster. She is a former senior counsel at both DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration, with extensive experience in parsing the legal and regulatory ramifications of driverless vehicles. Thomson also weighs in on certain key questions yet to be resolved, such as the proper balance of regulatory authority between states and the federal government, and legal liability for accidents involving driverless cars.