Venable partner David Strickland was interviewed in a December 1, 2014 National Law Journal article on the legal hurdles of V2V communication. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has tentatively proposed a requirement that new cars and trucks come equipped with vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems by 2019. The technology would allow vehicles to "talk" to each other and potentially avert 500,000 crashes a year. However, the proposal raises concerns over liability, privacy, cybersecurity and government overreach.
"We're talking about a titanic shift in the fight for auto safety…but it's complicated," said Strickland. He said cybersecurity concerns "are also among the most significant from a legal standpoint…If there is a breach, who is responsible? Who is liable?" Strickland acknowledged that "There are a lot of unanswered questions." However, despite the legal challenges, Strickland said the opportunity to improve auto safety "is so phenomenal, it's worth the investment of time and risk."
"We're talking about a titanic shift in the fight for auto safety…but it's complicated," said Strickland. He said cybersecurity concerns "are also among the most significant from a legal standpoint…If there is a breach, who is responsible? Who is liable?" Strickland acknowledged that "There are a lot of unanswered questions." However, despite the legal challenges, Strickland said the opportunity to improve auto safety "is so phenomenal, it's worth the investment of time and risk."