Safety expectations for automated and autonomous vehicles: liability arising from basic technology vs. future technology

Autonomous and/or automated driving is a challenge for all vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers. However, offering new future technology needs sound basic technologies. Reliability in automotive future technologies conflict with an increasing number of conventional mid-age and new vehicles under recalls worldwide. Future technologies are vulnerable in regards to the validation on vehicle levels and to hacker attacks. Each successful hacker attack provides prima facie evidence of lack of safety and security. The legal consequences are significant for all peoples involved in selling safety without sufficient proof.