Within the RESPONSE project, legal experts from six European countries have examined the legal framework for the testing and introduction of driver assistance systems (DAS). Functions affecting steering, braking and acceleration were examined for France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Systems with and without override capabilities were considered. All DAS systems will only be admitted to public road traffic if they are safe and meet European technical standards. Systems that the driver can override place the responsibility to comply with the traffic regulations on the driver, whereas systems without this facility must be fully compliant with the traffic regulations. The implications for the use of DAS while taking a driving test, the boundaries for criminal responsibility of the driver and of the manufacturer/supplier, the civil liability of the driver and the owner of vehicles fitted with DAS, and the liability of the manufacturer/supplier are discussed. While the starting positions of the countries differed, the questions relating to traffic law, criminal law and liability laws were similar. For the covering abstract see ITRD E114174.
Abstract