Liability for Present and Future Robotics Technology

Abstract

Advances in robotics technology are causing major changes in manufacturing, transportation, medicine, and numerous other sectors. While many of these changes are beneficial, some will inevitably lead to harm. Who should be liable when a robot causes harm? This chapter addresses how the law can and should account for robot liability, including robots that exist today and that could potentially be built in the future. Current and near-future robots pose no significant challenge: existing law or minor variations therein can readily handle them. A greater challenge will arise if it becomes possible to build robots that merit legal personhood and thus can be held liable, as well as if future robots can cause major global catastrophe.