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Comment by vb-8448 | Hacker News Reader

I'm just curious how it works on the legal side: if a human run the red light he gets a fine, who gets fined with a waymo car?

If the car I'm in cause a big damage or kill someone? I guess the damage will be paid by the insurance but whom insurance? Mine or waymos? And what about criminal implications? Insurance doesn't cover thoose for sure.

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It should be the same as for any public transport: it's the service operator's responsibility to run the system. The rider doesn't need insurance.

I imagine Google has enough money that they can self-insure. Particularly since it's a very low accident rate.

What about criminal implications?

PS: i guess the insurance on self diving cars is a little bit different and the accident rate is only part of the picture. Just an example: humans don't get hacked.

I would imagine that criminal liability for hacking a Waymo falls on the hacker, and on Waymo only if they are negligent.

If someone holds a gun to your head and tells you to run a red light, who is liable? Humans can get persuaded to do illegal things by criminals just as well.

Criminal implications of... what, exactly?

Please state your concerns.

Similar legal profile to an elevator when they stopped being operated by people.

I used to give out speed camera tickets. How do you think this worked? We didn't know who was the driver. It didn't matter. We ticketed the vehicle owner. Not sure how this is different? There are workplace injuries all the time in places like factories due to automated machines. Elevators/Escalators have caused fatalities or injuries and don't have a direct operator. I mean there are tons of things in life with no direct human to blame immediately on scene.

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