Who’s at Fault if You’re Hit By an Autonomous Car in Michigan?

Well, here's a question they never asked in The Jetsons: If you're involved in an accident with an autonomous vehicle in Michigan, who's at fault? Though not something we were taught in driver's education, there is a procedure in the event you're in an accident with Robocop's cousin.

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Autonomous vehicles are legal in Michigan thanks to a bill passed in 2016. MCL—Section 257.665 states that driverless vehicles can legally be tested on roads throughout the state, but it is illegal to operate them without a human behind the wheel, ready to intervene in the event things get dicey.

What to Do If You're Involved in an Accident With an Autonomous Vehicle

Generally, after a fender bender, license, and insurance information are exchanged, police are notified, and any injuries are addressed. However, when there's no driver behind the wheel of the other car, what should you do?

Since the other vehicle's driver is technically software or hardware, The Zebra says your first course of action is to determine the manufacturer.  I guess, maybe, look under the hood for a serial number? Since completely autonomous vehicles have yet to be legalized in Michigan, this isn't a concern, yet.

Where are Autonomous Vehicles Being Tested in Michigan

According to Michigan.gov, since the spring of 2024, a 3-mile stretch of I-94 from Belleville to Rawsonville roads has become the 1st phase of a connected and automated vehicle (CAV) corridor. The highway was fitted with special radars and sensors designed to assist autonomous vehicles and collect data.

RELATED: 10-Mile Stretch of Michigan Highway Among Deadliest in America

This test is scheduled to continue through December 2025. At this point, the "driverless cars" have a human behind the wheel, so if you were to be involved in an accident, chances are traditional blame would be assigned to a driver, not a piece of software.