Welcome back to our Blog ! This week, we will take a look at one of the top “technology trends” (yes, we love our technology) in the automotive industry, and share with you why we believe the trend for defects will stay on the rise – and why it is so important that you, as the consumer of this technology, understand your rights under the law.
How do you feel about “self driving” vehicles? Is the thought of an autonomous vehicle somewhat unnerving ? Many of us feel intimidated by this new technology, and rightly so….it sounds scary facing an oncoming vehicle that has no driver. The reality: this technology is here, and development is full steam ahead. Design goals include fewer crashes, more efficient vehicular use, more fuel efficiency, and greater mobility for the elderly, disabled, and young folks in our communities. With all this autonomy comes a massive amount of technology, including state of the art embedded processors, hardware, software and testing that must be accomplished before release. The race is definitely on for automotive manufacturers to grab market share in this emerging space. And when there is a race to get product out the door…. you guessed it – defects can and will emerge.
General Motors has publicly stated that they are only “quarters, not years” away from actively testing (and subsequently deploying) self driving technology. We know they will have heavy competition in the space, and most of the other major players are also readying their respective vehicles. Problem: with market pressure to get the product available quickly and competitively, corners are cut, and it is usually software testing that lacks proper attention. Software in an autonomous vehicle plays a critical role, since it is the “brains” of the control function. Software defects are the culprit of so many incredibly frustrating and “hidden” problems for consumers – i.e., navigation systems that do not operate correctly, bluetooth functions that are anything but reliable or user friendly – and (my favorite) – faulty transmission behavior. Some are an annoyance, while others present real safety issues. All of them, however, pose potential lemon law invocation.
The automotive space is undergoing a real shift toward increased connectivity, safety, and autonomy. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog, and that you enjoy learning and thinking about the future of our lives as technologies such as AI (artificial intelligence) become mainstream. If you own or lease a vehicle that is five years old or less, you should understand the fact that in most cases, your vehicle contains a massive amount of computer hardware and software on board. If your vehicle is not functioning properly and is under warranty, you have rights under the law that you need to thoroughly understand.
Our business is growing and our mission is simple : to educate you, fellow consumers, about the “Lemon Law”, and how it protects those who have found themselves stuck with that new car, truck, RV, motorcycle, etc, that just isn’t performing up to expectations. Stay in the know, visit this site often and let us know if we can be of assistance. The initial consultation is free, and if you’re having a problem, it is well worth a few minutes of your time to understand your rights and how you can get the help you need.
