San Diego Self-Driving Car Accident Lawyer

Self-driving cars might not be street-legal in San Diego, California, just yet, but you could still be sharing the road with a driverless car or light truck. Waymo One, Tesla, Zoox, and other auto companies have been given the green light to test their autonomous vehicles on California roads and highways.

California has strict rules and requirements for self-driving vehicle testing. Companies must obtain a permit to test an autonomous vehicle in San Diego and, in most cases, a driver still has to be behind the wheel. There are currently very few situations where a fully autonomous vehicle can operate without some degree of human control. 

Unfortunately, self-driving vehicles have already been involved in car accidents in busy cities like San Diego. In fact, the DMV’s Department of Autonomous Vehicles has already received reports of nearly 800 self-driving vehicle accidents over the past decades - with a significant increase in collisions in recent years. In 2024, at least 102 autonomous vehicle accidents were reported across California.

If you’ve been involved in a car accident with an autonomous vehicle in San Diego, California, don’t hesitate to call the San Diego car accident lawyers at Singleton Schreiber. Accidents involving self-driving cars aren’t like other crashes. Litigation can be much more complex. Our San Diego injury lawyers are here to help you take on these powerful auto companies and force them to pay you the top-dollar financial award you deserve.

We’re fearless advocates backed by national resources and a multi-billion dollar track record of success. Don’t hesitate to call our San Diego law office to discuss your self-driving car accident today. Your initial case review is 100 percent free.

Who’s Liable For a Self-Driving Car Accident in San Diego?

Liability - or financial responsibility - for a self-driving car accident can extend to anyone who directly or indirectly contributes to the wreck. Typically, liability is based on negligence. Most car accidents - upwards of 94 percent - involve some type of human error. 

When a car has no driver, a computer essentially makes navigation decisions based on radar, localization, sensors, and algorithms. California will have to adapt and determine the best way to handle liability when computers, rather than people, are making the lion’s share of the decisions on its roads and highways. Until fully autonomous vehicles are deployed on San Diego Roads, liability may be more clear-cut.

Given the complex nature of autonomous vehicle operations in San Diego, a thorough, in-depth investigation is often required to understand the cause(s) of the collision and identify who’s at fault.

Depending on the cause of a self-driving vehicle accident in San Diego, liable parties might include a:

Self-Driving Vehicle Company

Google, Tesla, Waymo, Mercedes-Benz, and other companies that design, manufacture, and test self-driving cars are responsible for those vehicles. If issues arise with the vehicle’s Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems, control system, sensors, lights, brakes, localization systems, or software and those issues contribute to a crash, the company (and the companies that might have designed those specific components) can be liable for resulting damages.

Self-Driving Vehicle Operator

Initial autonomous testing must be completed with a human driver in the vehicle. If the human driver makes an error or is negligent in any way, they can potentially be liable for a collision.

Third-Party Motorist

While it’s easiest to blame the autonomous vehicle company for a crash, there may be times when the self-driving car does not bear responsibility for collisions. After all, self-driving vehicles share the road with pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles. If one of these parties makes a mistake, they could be at least partly liable for a resulting accident.

Government Agency

Government agencies within the city of San Diego and state of California have a responsibility to design and maintain safe roads. When city, county, or state road conditions contribute to an accident with a self-driving vehicle, the negligent government agency could be on the hook for resulting damages.

There may also be situations when the State of California is liable for granting a permit to test a self-driving vehicle inappropriately. In these situations, the Department of Autonomous Vehicles could bear responsibility if an erroneously permitted vehicle causes a collision.

Why Should I Hire a Self-Driving Car Accident Lawyer in San Diego?

Self-driving cars are the future. It won’t be long before you’re driving or driving next to an autonomous car. If there’s an accident, establishing liability may be difficult, especially if the self-driving car clearly contributed to or caused the wreck. Laws will race to catch up with changes in technology, which can leave you - the victim - struggling to recover the compensation needed to get money for your medical treatment, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering.

It’ll be critical to put an experienced, knowledgeable, skilled legal advocate in your corner. Singleton Schreiber’s San Diego personal injury lawyers will be here to help you navigate these challenging situations. 

At Singleton Schreiber, we embrace changes in technology and the law by staying on top of them. Knowledge is power, especially when our client’s rights and financial futures are in the crosshairs. You’ll be able to trust that our in-depth knowledge of California self-driving vehicle law, proven success as civil litigators, and cutting-edge legal strategies will help you assert your rights and maximize your financial recovery.

You’ll be able to focus on recovering from your self-driving car accident while our top-rated legal team in San Diego handles the rest:

• Review government and company-led investigations into the autonomous vehicle accident
• Coordinate an independent inquiry into your self-driving motor vehicle accident
• Gather valuable evidence about your self-driving car accident in the discovery phase
• Enlist experts in self-driving vehicle operations, accident reconstruction, forensics, medicine, and other relevant specialties to collaborate with us throughout the claims process
• Interview eyewitnesses of the collision, employees at the self-driving vehicle company, and other parties with relevant information 
• Gives you the information you need to make smart, informed choices when presented with a settlement offer during negotiations

California law applies a two-year statute of limitations to most car accident lawsuits, and that’s unlikely to change just because a self-driving vehicle is involved in a wreck. So, it’ll be important to get a jump start on your self-driving car accident case. Call our law office in San Diego to set a time for a complimentary case review. Our San Diego self-driving car accident attorneys are ready to help you make things right.