Driverless

Belying whispers of a slowdown in the autonomous vehicle industry – with doubters suggesting that AV’s potential had been oversold and the difficulty of execution underestimated –several news stories about AV companies caught our eye last week. Host Zach Adams, a litigator at Tucker Ellis, and Tucker Ellis corporate and transactional lawyer Tod Northman discuss the latest news to illustrate the trends they are seeing in the industry. In short, money continues to pour into the best companies as competitors vie for talent and technology leadership to realize the commercial potential of driverless transportation.

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CES2019 – Context for a Low-Key Las Vegas Experience

Although buzz is growing that the autonomous vehicle industry has fallen into Gartner’s Trough of Disillusionment, roll outs and technical improvements have continued apace. Host Zach Adams, litigator Jon Feczko and transactional lawyer Tod Northman discuss the state of the AV industry through the prism of the CES 2019 experience. They cover everything from the most eye-catching concept vehicles to the timeline for rolling out autonomous vehicles.

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Tucker Ellis product liability litigators Zach Adams and Jon Feczko are joined by Marc Hoag, a California lawyer, podcaster, entrepreneur and AV consultant, as they reason through the applicable legal standard, and related legal issues, for autonomous vehicles. Marc’s podcast “Autonomous Cars with Marc Hoag” is the number one search result in Google for autonomous vehicle podcasts. But it is the combination of Marc’s legal and engineering training with his knowledge of autonomous vehicles that makes him the perfect guest to talk through these matters with Zach and Jon.

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In a wide-ranging discussion that includes a fascinating history of failed transportation revolutions, host Zach Adams, intellectual property litigator Jay Campbell and business lawyer Tod Northman discuss how autonomous vehicles will change our cities. From pocket calculators to Segway, high hopes for technology have produced disappointment. From autonomous vehicles to ride sharing to electric scooters, there is a lot of publicity about – and tremendous money behind – the mobility revolution. Will this time be different?

For additional resources and show notes, please visit us at https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

Tesla drew plenty of unwanted attention when a Model 3 was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol after a 7-mile “chase” with the ostensible driver asleep and inebriated. Kudos to the safety officers for quick thinking to prevent a tragic end. But the incident sharpens the argument for those who believe that vehicles operating at SAE Level 2 and Level 3 of autonomy are inherently unsafe and highlights the role of robust driver monitoring. Waymo, by contrast, earned applause for its seamless launch of its “robot taxi fleet” – albeit with a safety driver behind the wheel. Video of a test ride shows how impressive – and boring – a ride in Waymo One can be. Host and litigator Zach Adams discusses these development with litigator Jon Feczko and transactional attorney Tod Northman.

For additional resources and show notes, please visit us at https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

Did AV Cause GM to Drop Sedans, Fire Workers, and Shutter Plants?

Notwithstanding five years of strong profits and anticipatable fiery backlash, GM announced plans to cut almost 15,000 jobs in North America and to end production at five North American plants. GM intends to drop passenger-cars from its lineup, including the Chevy Cruze, the newly redesigned Cadillac CT6, the Impala, and the Buick LaCrosse. The Company’s press release cited a plan to invest the saved costs in electric and self-driving vehicles. The Company also shifted Dan Amman from its president to chief executive officer of GM Cruise. Host Zach Adams, litigator Jon Feczko and business lawyer Tod Northman assess the ramifications of GM’s actions with particular emphasis on autonomous vehicles.

For additional resources and show notes, please visit us at https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

Columbus muscled its way to the front of forward-thinking cities in 2016 when it stunned six other U.S. cities with much greater tech cred to win the Department of Transportation’s Smart Cities Challenge and be designated America’s Smart City. On this week’s episode, host Zach Adams speaks with Mark Patton, Vice President of the Smart Columbus initiative. Mark and Zach explore Columbus’ role in helping transform American cities, including a preview of Columbus’ downtown autonomous bus service, which will begin shuttling passengers in December 2018. Columbus aims to deliver more diversified and nimble transportation options by using data and a connected, complete network that supports healthy activity and a more attractive and sustainable urban form. Mark is a terrific guide to Smart Columbus’ impressive efforts.

For additional show notes and resources, please visit https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

Host and litigator Zach Adams, products liability attorney Jon Feczko, and business and transactional attorney Tod Northman discuss what auto accident lawsuits will look like as autonomous vehicles start to share the roads with human-driven cars. In a wide-ranging conversation, each shares his vision of AV litigation.

For additional show notes and resources, please visit https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

How are autonomous vehicles regulated in the United States? Is it the right approach? In the inaugural episode of DRIVERLESS, host Zach Adams speaks with product liability litigator Jonathan Feczko and business and transportation lawyer Tod Northman, both partners at Tucker Ellis, about “Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicle 3.0.” The Department of Transportation issued the latest guidance in early October 2018, and the trio dig into the document, establish the regulatory context for the guidance, and evaluate the ramifications of the DOT’s approach. Drawing from their differing legal backgrounds, Zach, Jon and Tod assess who won with the document, who lost, and what issues were not adequately addressed. They also discuss why the federal government has taken the approach it has, despite legitimate concerns raised by safety and privacy advocates.

For additional show notes and resources, please visit https://www.tuckerellis.com/driverless.

Welcome to Driverless, a podcast presented by Tucker Ellis!