Artificial intelligence and self-driving cars: European legal analysis

Abstract

Technology and Law are interdependent, the first cannot be developed without the protection of Law, and this must necessarily adapt to the social changes caused by technology. The development of cybernetic technology has given rise to several texts issued by the European Union on artificial intelligence and robotics, such as Robolaw Project, developed in the 7th Framework Programme for Research 2007-2013, or the European Parliament Resolution of 16 February 2017 with recommendations to the Commission on Civil Law Rules on Robotics, among other several texts that the Union has issued. Self-driven cars are one of the issues dealt with by these texts, mainly from the point of view of liability for the damages they may cause, and their compensation. One of the most controversial solutions is to create a specific legal status for robots by applying an electronic personality, discussing whether a true cybernetic personality is possible, as the robots lack self-awareness. The work proposes to delve into the already known solutions and the mechanism of the insurance contract to foster these scientific developments.