Last month, the DC Department of Transportation released a trove of collision data. The DC DOT and Metropolitan Police Department have a history of sharing information about collisions in the District of Columbia, often through periodic reports. But this data release is different in that provides information about individual crash report incidents taken by Metropolitan Police Department officers. So instead of …
Great Idea: Using Social Media or Online Forums to Warn of Defects and Dangerous Conditions
By Cory Bilton “We didn’t know it was dangerous.” This is the response you will get in almost every case involving a dangerous product or hazardous condition that causes someone to be injured. Whether we are talking about faulty ignition switches, contaminated spinach, or uneven pavement, the initial response is nearly always that the danger was not known. Without knowledge …
There is Only an “Emergency Stop” Button in Google’s Second Generation Driverless Car
By Cory Bilton In case you haven’t been following along, Google is developing a driverless car. While other groups and researchers are also building autonomous vehicles, Google’s project has created the most buzz by far. Up until recently, Google’s driverless car was a Toyota Prius with various pieces of equipment, sensors and laser radar, mounted on it. Recently, Google unveiled …
As Computers Take Over Transportation, Liability Threatens
By Cory Bilton. Transportation has incorporated new technologies for centuries now. But the newest technologies are increasingly removing humans from the equation, at least as far as driving or controlling vehicles. Last month I wrote about some of the legal challenges facing autonomous vehicles when they are released to the public. This week, I ran across two other instances where …
Autonomous Cars Pose Legal Challenges
By Cory Bilton. Cars that can drive themselves are the wave of the future. Google has been developing a driverless car for years now. In the Washington DC area, local politicians and newspaper reporters are being entertained by autonomous car researchers from Carnegie Mellon University. The idea of removing the human from actively controlling and maneuvering the car is appealing. …
Lawmakers Scramble to Classify E-bikes as Bicycles
By Cory Bilton. It could have been a television commercial. On my way home from work one night this week, I was riding on the Custis Trail heading west up the hill from Rosslyn. For those unfamiliar with this particular hill, it’s a long slog; Google Maps reports that it is about 1 mile of distance and 161 feet of …