What Should You Do If You’re Injured By a Self-Driving Car?

No commercially available vehicle can fully drive itself. That’s not speculation; according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), fully automated driving systems are not available for consumer purchase today. Yet many drivers treat features like lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking as though their car can handle everything on its own. That gap between expectation and reality has led to a growing number of accidents and a growing number of injured victims who are scared and unsure of what their rights are.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a car crash involving autonomous driving technology, here is what to do:

• Get medical attention and document your injuries
• Find out what caused the self-driving system to fail
• Preserve evidence and information from the crash
• Determine who may be responsible
• Explore your legal options for recovering compensation

At Lafferty, Gallagher & Scott, LLC, our attorneys have helped car accident victims seek compensation for their injuries since 1973. As autonomous technology becomes more common in everyday vehicles, we understand that accident claims are becoming more complicated. Regardless of what caused the crash, we are here to protect your rights and help you get the financial support you need.

How Can Self-Driving Technology Fail in a Vehicle?

Self-driving systems rely on sensors, cameras, radar, and software to make driving decisions. When one part of that system fails, the vehicle may misread the road or react incorrectly. These failures can happen in seconds, with life-changing results.

Common failures include:

• Sensor Misreads: Pedestrians, vehicles, or lane markings not detected correctly.
• Software Glitches: Miscalculations of speed or distance.
• Outdated Mapping Data: Incomplete or incorrect road information.
• Sudden Disengagement: The autonomous mode shuts off without warning, leaving the driver unprepared.
• Poor Decision Making: The system responds incorrectly in unpredictable driving conditions.

Understanding what went wrong is a key part of building any legal claim.

What Evidence Helps Figure Out What Went Wrong?

These cases often depend on technical data rather than eyewitness accounts alone. The information stored in a vehicle’s systems can tell a detailed story about what the autonomous technology did in the moments before the crash.

Key types of evidence include:

• Vehicle “black box” or event data recorder (EDR) information
• Software logs showing system decisions before the crash
• Camera and sensor recordings
• Maintenance and software update history
• Crash reconstruction reports
• Medical documentation linking injuries to the collision

This information helps reconstruct how the malfunction occurred and whether it could have been prevented. Preserving this evidence quickly matters, as data can be overwritten or lost over time.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Self-Driving Car Accident?

Responsibility in these cases is often shared across multiple parties, which is why determining who is liable can take a careful investigation.

Potentially responsible parties include:

• The vehicle manufacturer, if the system was defectively designed.
• The software developer, if a coding or AI error caused unsafe behavior.
• A parts supplier, if sensors or hardware failed.
• The car owner, if the vehicle was improperly maintained or not updated.
• The human driver, if they failed to take control when the situation required it.

According to NHTSA, every vehicle currently for sale in the United States requires the driver’s full attention at all times for safe operation. That means drivers still carry legal responsibility, even in a partially automated vehicle. Determining liability depends on whether the system was operating as intended and who had control at the moment of failure.

What Legal Options Do Injured Drivers or Passengers Have After Being Injured By a Self-Driving Car?

After an injury involving a self-driving car, several legal paths may be available depending on the facts of your case. Because multiple parties are often involved, these cases typically require a thorough investigation before a claim is fully built.

Options may include:

• Product liability claims against manufacturers or software developers.
• Negligence claims if a human operator failed to intervene when required.
• Insurance claims through the vehicle policy or multiple applicable policies.
• Litigation when responsibility is disputed or denied.

Each of these paths has different requirements, timelines, and potential outcomes. Working with an attorney who understands both personal injury law and the technical details of autonomous vehicle systems is important.

Don’t Let Negligent Parties Hide Behind Technology

Self-driving car malfunctions raise questions that go well beyond a standard accident claim. They involve technology, data interpretation, and multiple layers of responsibility across manufacturers, software developers, and drivers. For injured individuals, the priority is understanding what failed, who is responsible, and what compensation may be available for the harm caused, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

If you were injured in a crash involving partially autonomous vehicle technology, contact Lafferty, Gallagher & Scott, LLC. Our team will investigate what caused the accident, identify every potentially liable party, and work to recover the full compensation you are owed. With over 50 years of experience and more than $100 million recovered for our clients, we know how to handle complicated claims.