Partner at Charbonnet Law Firm LLC
Practice Areas: Car Accident, Slip-and-Fall, Work-related Injury
Self-driving features are becoming more common on Louisiana roads. Cars can now help with steering, braking, lane changes, and other driving tasks.
But these systems can make mistakes. When one causes a crash, figuring out who is at fault may not be easy. A New Orleans auto accident lawyer can look at what the driver did, how the vehicle worked, and what caused the accident.
The driver may be responsible. So may the car maker, software company, or another party. Louisiana uses its existing negligence, product liability, and fault laws to handle these cases.
Many newer cars have features that help drivers avoid crashes. These include lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking.
Most of these features do not make a car fully self-driving. The driver still needs to watch the road and be ready to take control.
This is true when using systems such as Tesla Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised). If the driver ignores a warning or fails to take control, that can affect who is at fault. A system failure can raise a different set of questions.
One example is phantom braking. This happens when a vehicle suddenly slows down or brakes even though there is no real obstacle ahead. A sudden stop can put vehicles behind it at risk of a rear-end crash.
Other problems may include:
Federal regulators have looked into reports of problems with automated driving systems. The NHTSA provides information about vehicle safety investigations.
Federal regulators have investigated several issues involving Tesla’s driver-assistance systems.
| Investigation |
Opened |
Models | Vehicles |
Issue |
| PE22-002 | Feb. 2022 | Model 3 and Model Y | ~416,000 | Phantom braking |
| EA22-002 | June 2022 | Multiple models | ~830,000 | Autopilot crashes |
| FSD probe | Oct. 2024 | Various models, 2016–2024 | ~2.4 million | FSD crashes in low visibility |
The EA22-002 investigation led to a December 2023 recall of more than two million Tesla vehicles. The recall addressed Autopilot’s driver-attention safeguards.
More than one party may be at fault. Louisiana allows fault to be shared when several people or companies played a role.
The driver may be responsible if they:
Using a driver-assistance feature does not remove the driver’s duty to drive safely.
A car maker may be responsible when a defect helps cause a crash.
For example, the problem could involve:
These claims may fall under Louisiana product liability law.
The problem may also come from software or a faulty part. A software company may share fault if its program makes an unsafe driving decision. A parts supplier may face a claim if a defective component causes the crash.
Full Self-Driving (Supervised) still requires an attentive driver who can take control at any time.
Louisiana does not have one special law for every crash involving self-driving technology.
These cases may involve:
Louisiana’s Products Liability Act may apply when a defective product causes an injury. A manufacturer may be responsible for certain design defects, manufacturing defects, or inadequate warnings.
Louisiana also has laws for some commercial autonomous vehicles. Those rules set requirements for how these vehicles can operate. They do not prevent an injured person from bringing a claim when someone else caused the crash.
A crash can involve several parties.
For example:
A court can assign each party a share of the fault. That share can affect how much compensation an injured person receives.
These cases can involve records stored inside the vehicle or its software.
Useful evidence may include:
Try to preserve the vehicle before repairs. Repairs or changes could affect data that may help explain the crash.
You should also:
Our guide on documenting an accident scene has more information
Yes. These systems still require drivers to monitor the road and take control when necessary.
Yes. A manufacturer may be responsible if a defect in the vehicle or system contributed to the accident.
Evidence may include vehicle data, sensor records, software history, witness statements, and accident reports.
Yes. Louisiana allows fault to be divided between multiple parties when more than one person or company contributed to the crash.
The deadline depends on the date of the accident and the type of claim involved. Speaking with an attorney early can help protect your rights.
Autonomous technology is changing how vehicles operate, but crashes involving these systems still come down to responsibility, evidence, and the facts of the case.
At Charbonnet Law Firm, our attorneys help injured people across Louisiana understand their options after serious accidents. If an automated feature was involved in your crash, our team can review what happened and explain the next steps. Call (504) 888-2227 for a free consultation.
With over 50 years of legal experience serving families in the New Orleans area and surrounding Louisiana communities, our firm takes pride in providing clients with personalized legal services tailored to individual needs.
