riminal liability in the context of autonomous vehicles and devices – challenges and prospects
Abstract
The article addresses the challenges and prospects related to criminal liability in the context of autonomous vehicles and devices, highlighting the dynamic evolution of criminal law driven by technological advancements in autonomy and artificial intelligence. The development of these technologies necessitates a reevaluation of legal concepts and the creation of new regulatory frameworks that balance both user protection and the liability of manufacturers and operators of autonomous systems. The primary scientific aim is to identify the central challenges of criminal liability associated not only with autonomous road vehicles but also with devices used in industry and medicine. Special attention is paid to assigning responsibility, evaluating the effectiveness of current legal norms, and addressing the need to modernise the concept of a perpetrator in the context of autonomous systems and AI. The article demonstrates that traditional models of criminal liability, which focus on human agency, are increasingly insufficient as system autonomy grows. The author advocates for reform, particularly the amendment of the Collective Entity Liability Act, to enable more flexible assignment of criminal liability to producers, users, and managers depending on the system’s level of autonomy. Regulatory harmonisation and proactive legal adaptation are determined to be essential for the safe and responsible implementation of autonomous technologies.
Keywords:
criminal liability, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, Industry 4.0, collective entitiesReferences
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