Advent of self-driving autos spurs debate on accident liability in Japan

More and more self-driving vehicles are making their debut, raising the question of who should be held accountable if, or perhaps when, they cause accidents. Following American and German automakers Tesla Motors Inc. and Mercedes-Benz, Nissan Motor Co. released a minivan model with self-driving functions in the Serena family in August at a time when the government and automakers in Japan are looking to have autonomous vehicles in regular use by 2020. In Japan, autonomous vehicles are now sold with the understanding that drivers are responsible for maintaining control of their vehicles. Drivers are required to stay behind the steering wheel even when self-driving functions are in operation, and they are held accountable for accidents. The autonomous Serena model is designed for expressway use in single-lane traffic.