105 Iowa L. Rev. 1411 (2020)

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Abstract

Within the next decade, society will be revolutionized by the presence of almost completely autonomous vehicles on our roadways. The amount of traffic fatalities will decrease, road congestion will disappear, and people will be able to watch their favorite Netflix show while on the way to work. This Note critically analyzes the current regulatory gap in autonomous vehicle technology, with a focus on problems arising from a patchwork of state laws and the lack of federal regulation. At this critical juncture in time, consumers are distrustful and hesitant of the technology. This Note argues that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should pass new manufacturing and safety standards to fill the regulatory gap and assure consumers that autonomous vehicles are both viable and safe. Failure to create national regulation will see the dream of robotic cars filling the roads go up into smoke.