I'm wondering who is funding these trials, Uber as the management company, or individuals as the vehicle owners, hiding behind a shelf company?
Let's face it, Uber apparently do not want the maintenance and running cost of their vehicle fleet and have handballed that off to the drivers.
Uber, according to the news reports, are losing money hand over fist, so do they actually have the inclination or wherewithal to be a good corporate citizen and fund any liability, or will they palm that off to the vehicle owners insurance. Then there is the insurance. Has third party insurance companies come to grips with driverless vehicles? Indeed, are they covered at all?
Seems to me that there are quite a few questions that need to be managed before a commercial venture takes this technology on the road. It seems the press about driverless cars is when someone is killed. Having said that, there is nothing to suggest that even if a driver was in control, the same accident would not occur. In fact, overall, the road toll may drop considerably in the long term, but I'd be far more trusting of driverless cars being rolled out with drivers until the bugs and faults are ironed out of the systems and that to me sounds like getting Joe average in them ferrying their family around first. At least the majority of them will be keen to ensure they are safe. A commercial venture is likely to be more keen in chasing profit and I fear "quirky" cars will be let loose before they're ready.