Autonomous Vehicles and the Limits of Traditional Liability: Between Legal Doctrine and Technological Innovation

Sovilj, Ranko and Zlatanović, Sanja (2026) Autonomous Vehicles and the Limits of Traditional Liability: Between Legal Doctrine and Technological Innovation. Anali Pravnog fakulteta u Beogradu (Annals of the Faculty of Law in Belgrade), 74 (2). pp. 185-213.

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Abstract

The paper examines legal liability for damages caused by autonomous vehicles by analyzing the legal and technical characteristics of highly automated and fully autonomous driving systems, as well as the relevant international, regional, and national legal frameworks. While existing motor vehicle insurance and product liability regimes provide an important foundation, they remain fragmented and insufficiently adapted to the technological and normative complexities of autonomous mobility. The paper demonstrates that traditional driver-based liability models are structurally misaligned with highly automated driving, creating systemic gaps in the allocation of liability. Adopting a doctrinal and comparative approach, it highlights the need for a coherent, flexible, and forward-looking regulatory framework capable of reconciling technological innovation with legal accountability. The findings contribute to the ongoing scholarly and policy debates on the future design of liability regimes for autonomous vehicles.

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