Design defects are another commonly asserted theory of liability. Suppose that the software for controlling braking in an autonomous vehicle doesn’t sufficiently increase braking power when the vehicle needs to stop on a downhill slope. If, as a result, a vehicle causes a frontal collision i.e., impacts a car in front of it, a person who suffers injuries or economic losses due to the collision could file a design-defects claim against the manufacturer.Even when a design is sound, manufacturers can be liable for manufacturing defects. If an autonomous vehicle technology provider accidentally ships some vehicles with an early, non-market-ready version of software containing a flaw not present in the newer version that was supposed to have been shipped, a person injured in an accident attributable to this flaw could seek to recover damages from the technology provider.

via Who Is at Fault When a Driverless Car Gets in an Accident? – John Villasenor – The Atlantic Cities.