Autonomous Vehicle Liability Insights: Human Factors and Industry Risks, Published in the Daily Journal, Los Angeles

In an article published on January 26 in the Daily Journal, Los Angeles Segal McCambridge Shareholder Kenneth P. Williams analyzes human interaction with autonomous vehicles, highlighting its impact on liability in 2026 and beyond. Williams discusses Waymo, a leading robotaxi service, which is currently dealing with doors that are not properly closing on its partially autonomous vehicles. This flaw requires human assistance, as the car refrains from moving as a safety precaution until the doors are properly shut.

“Where there is human interaction to any degree, the litigation that will follow will draw a wedge between negligence principles of duty, breach, causation and damages with those of product liability, such as failure to warn and foreseeability,” Williams explains. “The safest best practice that should be employed by product manufacturers and service companies should be with an eye towards litigation, looking at where concerns exist now and within the statutes of limitations.”

Autonomous vehicles rely on sophisticated software, including sensors and complex algorithms, to operate. Human interaction can implicate negligence theories, compromising safety and exposing manufacturers to dual liability.

“Ultimately, autonomous vehicle liability in 2026 will hinge on how well companies anticipate foreseeable human behavior, design against it, warn appropriately, and substantiate safety claims with a defensible, evidence-based safety case,” said Williams. 

Read the story in full: click here (subscriber-based).