alerts & publications

Don’t Leave That Driverless Taxi Unattended: Navigating the Federal and State Regulatory Gridlock That Could Curb the Driverless Taxi Fleet

O’Melveny counsel Michael Reynolds and associate Jason Orr co-authored the article “Don’t Leave That Driverless Taxi Unattended: Navigating the Federal And State Regulatory Gridlock That Could Curb the Driverless Taxi Fleet” published September 5, 2016, in Bloomberg BNA’s Product Safety & Liability Reporter. The article explains that until the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) adopts federal standards, regulation of autonomous vehicles falls entirely to state or local authorities. 

“In the vast majority of states, the legality of a fully autonomous fleet of taxis is uncertain. No state expressly allows a vehicle to be truly autonomous, with no human input or oversight, but most states do not expressly prohibit it either,” the authors write.

Reynolds represents clients involved in insurance coverage disputes, environmental and mass tort litigation, class actions, and data breach and privacy issues. Orr's diverse practice includes complex and class-action litigation on unfair competition, products liability, and employment matters, as well as advising clients on environmental and natural resource matters. They both reside in O’Melveny’s Los Angeles office.