Trial Lawyers Lobby Against Autonomous Vehicles
This analysis argues that trial lawyers are actively lobbying against autonomous vehicle (AV) legislation to preserve lucrative auto accident litigation, despite evidence that AVs are significantly safer than human drivers. Citing Waymo data from over 220 million miles, the article notes 94% fewer serious injuries and 93% fewer pedestrian injuries compared to human driving. The American Association for Justice has opposed AV bills for nearly a decade. The author proposes adopting the UK's Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 model, where a single insurer covers the vehicle regardless of driver, victims are compensated quickly without proving product defects, and insurers subrogate against manufacturers. This system, the author contends, deters accidents better than tort law through precise insurance data and avoids high legal transaction costs. The piece concludes that insurance serves victims well but threatens trial lawyers' revenue from the $180-220 billion annual auto insurance payout pool.
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