The Future of Autonomous Vehicle Liability: Legal Theories, Data Challenges, and Human Factors

Ryan Harrington | Exponent

Ryan Harrington is a Corporate Vice President and Principal within the Vehicle Engineering Practice at Exponent. Having worked directly on the development of automotive technologies and federal regulations, Mr. Harrington specializes in the analysis of complex technical and policy issues while fostering collaboration between industry executives, senior government officials, and engineers. His experience spans the development and deployment of numerous emerging automotive technologies, including automated vehicles, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), and fuel saving technologies. Mr. Harrington holds a master’s degree in automotive engineering from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Kristin Lennox | Exponent

Dr. Lennox has more than fifteen years of experience in using statistics, machine learning, and operations research techniques for scientific and engineering challenges. She has applied data science in a variety of litigation matters, including personal injury, product liability, intellectual property, fair lending, and class action cases. Dr. Lennox also studies methods to assess the benefits of emerging automotive technologies, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and automated driving.

David Cades | Exponent

Dr. Cades specializes in human factors investigations of vehicle and aircraft operator behavior, including perception response time, visual perception, nighttime visibility, and distractions and has investigated the effects of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Highly Automated Vehicles (HAVs) on driver behavior. He also has expertise in the evaluation and development of warnings and instructions for a wide range of consumer and industrial products.

Mickey Stevens | Dykema

Mickey Stevens is an experienced litigator who represents clients in product liability, personal injury, and general litigation matters across a broad range of industries. He focuses his practice on defending automotive manufacturers in complex product liability litigation involving advanced driver assistance systems. He represents clients through all phases of litigation in both state and federal courts throughout the country and frequently assists clients with critical motion practice.

I. Learn about the claims/theories driving ADAS/AV litigation and understand the role of vehicle data in the current legal landscape | 1:00pm – 1:30pm

II. Understand SAE levels of vehicle automation and how they relate to current automotive technology | 1:30pm – 2:00pm

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

III. Learn about how drivers understand, accept, and interact with ADAS/AV systems | 2:10pm – 2:30pm

IV. Understand challenges with using real-world driving data to evaluate performance of ADAS and AV systems | 2:30pm – 2:50pm

V. Learn about the claims/theories driving ADAS/AV litigation and understanding the role of vehicle data in the current legal landscape | 2:50pm – 3:10pm