Estonia's first remotely operated taxi crash raises accountability questions
The first traffic collision involving a remotely operated taxi in Tallinn has raised questions about responsibility when no one is directly behind the wheel.
On July 23, a crash took place between a Bliq remotely operated taxi and another vehicle just off the Kristiine intersection in Tallinn's Kristiine district. No one was injured.
A 24-year-old man was sitting in the car, but he was not driving. The Hyundai was being operated approximately 15 kilometers away in Jüri, Rae municipality.
Remotely operated vehicles have been providing taxi services in Tallinn for almost a year, with fewer than 10 currently operating. The Transport Board requires Bliq to have a safety driver in the car at all times.
Under the law, the operator holds the same responsibility as a driver behind the wheel. Janno Tobi, head of the patrol unit group at the West Harju Police Department, explained that the remotely operated vehicle stopped on a pedestrian crossing when the light turned red. The remote operator decided to continue driving and accelerated. Vehicles in other lanes gave way, but a car in the bus lane could not see the taxi due to visual obstruction, resulting in the collision.
Claude Kaasik, head of PZU's motor insurance group, stated that responsibility lies with the operator who is actually driving the vehicle, even if they are in another building using a joystick.
In a written response, Bliq said the vehicle's technology functioned correctly and that the accident was caused by human error.
According to the Transport Administration and a lawyer, the Traffic Act is sufficiently flexible to permit remotely operated vehicles, and no separate legislative amendments were made. Grey areas may arise in the event of technical failures.
Sworn advocate Albert Linntam noted that with more driverless cars, questions may arise about which technical requirements apply. He added that it ultimately comes down to what the particular driver should have done differently.
Tobi remarked that currently, no drivers are taught how to account for self-driving vehicles in traffic. For instance, many drivers and pedestrians still do not know how to interact with white delivery robots simply because these topics are not discussed.
