TRB Webinar: A Look at the Legal Environment for Driverless Vehicles

TRB conducted a webinar on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 from 2:00PM to 3:30PM ET that featured research from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)’s Legal Research Digest 69: A Look at the Legal Environment for Driverless Vehicles.

This webinar explored legal policy issues that may be associated with driverless vehicles. Presenters provided an introduction to the legal qualifications of driverless vehicles, and how civil and criminal liability may apply to them. They also discussed how these vehicles are likely to become subject to prevailing automobile insurance laws, and the how the advent of driverless vehicles may change these laws.

Participants must register in advance of the webinar, and there is a fee for non-TRB Sponsor or non-TRB Sustaining Affiliate employees. A certificate for 1.5 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) was provided to attendees who registered and attended the webinar as an individual. TRB also offered 1.25 CLE credits for this webinar. Contact Reggie Gillum at RGillum@nas.edu for instructions on receiving a copy of the recorded webinar.

The slides are available.


Webinar Presenters

• Dorothy Glancy, Santa Clara University School of Law
• Robert Peterson, Santa Clara University School of Law

Moderated by: Marcelle Jones, Jacobs


Webinar Outline

1. Overview of NCHRP Project
2. Overview of driverless vehicles
• Distinguishing driverless vehicles from other kinds of vehicle automation
• Technologies used to accomplish the capacity of vehicles to drive themselves
3. Legal issues
• Civil liability
• Insurance issues
• Criminal liability
4. Driverless vehicle regulation
• Federal guidance, including Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
• State motor vehicle regulation
• Other regulations -- data, privacy, and security
5. Question and answer session

The first 60 minutes of the webinar will be for presentations and the final 30 minutes will be reserved for audience questions. The Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP) categorizes this webinar activity as relating to health, safety, and welfare including core technical.


Learning Objectives

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Understand the connection between driverless vehicle technology and the legal issues they raise
• Understand some of the main legal issues posed by driverless vehicles
• Understand how federal and state laws and regulations would govern these vehicles

Registration Information

There is no fee for employees of TRB Sponsors or TRB Sustaining Affiliates who register using their work email address. In addition to employees of TRB sponsor organizations, the following are eligible to receive complimentary webinar registration:

• TRB and National Academies employees;
• Chairs of TRB standing committees, sections, or groups;
• CRP panel members who were involved with developing the report or project that is the subject of the webinar;
• Members of the media;
• Employees of tribal governments; and
• Members of Congress or their staff.

Other sites must pay $95 per site. View our pricing page for details.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.


Professional Development Hour Information

A certificate for 1.5 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) will be provided to Professional Engineers (PEs) who register and attend the webinar as an individual. For groups, only the person that registers and attends the session will receive a PDH certificate.

Individuals registered as Florida PEs are no longer required to email TRB with your license number to report your attendance. Instead, please use your certificate that TRB provides through RCEP.net as verification of your attendance to the Florida Board of Professional Engineers.

Please check with your licensing board to ensure that TRB webinar PDHs are approved by your board.

This webinar was developed in October 2016. TRB has met the standards and requirements of the Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP). Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to RCEP by TRB. Certificates of Completion will be issued to individuals who register for and attend the entire webinar session. Complaints about registered providers may be sent to RCEP, 1015 15th Street, NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20005. Website: www.RCEP.net.


Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits

TRB is offering 1.25 CLE credits for this webinar. TRB did not seek approval for the above listed workshop from the state board, so we advise that you contact your state board prior to registering for the webinar to see if credits would be accepted. Registered webinar attendees who sign in and view the entire webinar will receive a link to a certificate that they can fill out and provide to their board. Complete a certificate for each state in which you are required to file. Rules for CLE in some states require the provider to file attendance with the regulator as a service to lawyers. Please confirm jurisdictional reporting requirements with the state regulator. This certificate should be filed with the appropriate MCLE Board(s) or Commission(s) within 30 days of activity. Introductory remarks, keynote addresses, business meetings, breaks, receptions, etc., are not included in the computation of credit. TRB will retain a copy of your attendance; however, TRB is not required to submit attendance to the board.

Registration questions? Contact Reggie Gillum at RGillum@nas.edu.