EUGENE HERBERT
Many forward-thinking experts insist autonomous vehicles will make our roads safer, arguing that human error, which is responsible for over 90% of crashes, will be eliminated. But a recent incident abroad raises a troubling question: what happens when the “driver” is a machine that breaks the law?
In California, what should have been a routine traffic stop exposed a major loophole. Police pulled over a self-driving car operated by a ride-hailing company after it executed an illegal U-turn. The manufacturer blamed a system glitch. But the real problem wasn’t just the error.
It was the confusion that followed.
Officers could stop the vehicle. They could issue a warning. But they couldn’t enforce the law in any meaningful way. There is no clear legal framework to prosecute or penalise a machine. Who gets the ticket? The software, the manufacturer, or nobody at all?
This is far from an isolated case. Between 2019 and mid-2024, nearly 4,000 incidents involving autonomous vehicles, including crashes with injuries and fatalities, were recorded in the United States. Yet many more violations likely go undocumented, simply because enforcement systems are not designed to deal with driverless cars.
If this is happening in one of the world’s most technologically advanced environments, what does it mean for Nigeria?
Nigeria’s Missing Pieces
Nigeria is still grappling with more basic transport challenges, including inconsistent road markings, weak traffic signage, unreliable power supply, and limited digital infrastructure. Even 4G coverage is uneven in many parts of the country, let alone the kind of robust connectivity autonomous vehicles require.
But beyond infrastructure, the bigger issue is legal readiness.
Nigeria currently has no comprehensive framework to define liability, enforcement, or accountability for autonomous vehicles. If a driverless car jumps a red light in Lagos or causes a crash in Abuja, who takes responsibility?
Without clear laws, enforcement agencies like the FRSC and state traffic authorities would be left stranded. Just like the California officers.
The Trust Problem
Anyone stepping into a self-driving vehicle is placing complete confidence in its safety and reliability. People assume such vehicles would only be deployed after rigorous testing and strict regulatory approval.
But when a machine can break traffic laws without consequence, that confidence begins to crumble.
If accountability is unclear, how can Nigerians trust that safety has truly been prioritised?
Innovation vs Regulation
The global race toward autonomous mobility is accelerating. But this California incident is a stark reminder that technology can outpace regulation, with serious consequences.
For Nigeria, the lesson is clear: don’t wait for the first “driverless scandal” before acting.
Before autonomous vehicles can even be considered for Nigerian roads, policymakers must establish strong legal and regulatory frameworks that define responsibility, ensure enforcement, and protect road users.
Because without the law keeping pace, driverless cars could introduce a new kind of danger- not reckless human drivers, but unaccountable machines operating in a legal vacuum.
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