From the car manufacturing and insurance sectors, to rental cars, and even parking garages, the reach of driverless car technology is immense and will impact on both people and employment.
But while certain jobs will be lost and industries will change, there will also be new opportunities. For example, traditional lorry driving jobs may disappear but, at the same time, there will be opportunities for a different kind of driver who can operate a more sophisticated system driven by technology.
In a new two-part Thomson Reuters’ Legal Executive Institute podcast, Joe Raczynski, Legal Technologist and Futurist with Thomson Reuters Legal, discusses the hot topic of driverless car technology and its impact on the legal industry with attorney Gail Gottehrer, partner at Akerman LLP.
In part 2 of the podcast (linked to below) they discuss the opportunities for law firms.
5 key areas for law firms
Given the infrastructure and technology involved, plus the significant impact on people and employment, driverless cars generate a myriad of legal questions for law firm customers. Law firms can advise clients on issues such as:
- Changes in insurance coverage models
- Regulatory changes in affected industries
- Workforce/employment issues
- Data privacy and security issues
- Anticipating potential use of data in litigation.
Example: Government and local government
Government and local government need to: explore if roads need to be upgraded in order to facilitate driverless vehicles; decide how traffic lights and car parks can communicate with vehicles; and review how public transport will be impacted. Another issue for Government is to determine what factors to consider when deciding whether to allow testing in public spaces.
Example: Data ownership, data privacy, cyber security and litigation
There is also enormous opportunity for law firms and lawyers who focus on areas such data privacy, data ownership, data security, and cyber security. Take for example a road traffic accident where essentially the data in the car is going to be the witness. The data will have the ability to describe the accident in detail. It will be able to say if the car itself was driving, or if a person was driving, and how that person was driving at the time. There is an array of issues relating to who owns the data collected by driverless cars, and who has the right to say where it goes. Hacking and cyber security are also important considerations.
Find out more
Part 2 of the podcast also explores the potential impact on other key players including car manufacturers; rental car companies, and even car park owners.
Head on over the Legal Executive Institute where you can listen to the Podcast today
