Utah limits payouts and lawsuits over self-driving vehicle injuries

People harmed by fully automated driving can sue the vehicle's registered owner or the person who sent it into driverless service. This remedy covers injury or property damage while a level four or five system handles the entire driving task. It excludes incidents involving driving assistance or tasks the system did not perform. The person must prove it is more likely than not that the system was engaged and caused the harm. They need not prove careless conduct or a product defect. The $100,000 limit includes all damages, costs, and fees. Carelessness, recklessness, or a failure to use required care by the claimant or another person can reduce recovery. The law took effect May 6, 2026. This remedy is scheduled for repeal July 1, 2030.

Courts cap awards for pain, suffering, and other harm without a dollar cost at $1 million in covered vehicle cases. The $1 million limit covers cases involving vehicles equipped with level three, four, or five automated driving systems or vehicles designed exclusively for automated driving. The $1 million limit does not apply to wrongful death claims. Courts cannot award damages meant to punish wrongdoing in level four or five system cases under this chapter. Claims using the separate driverless-operation remedy have a $100,000 total limit instead. The law took effect May 6, 2026. These limits are scheduled for repeal July 1, 2030.

Claims against covered manufacturers and developers must use the driverless-operation remedy or the rules for defective products. The restrictions cover manufacturers of vehicles or driving-system hardware and developers of driving software for level four or five systems. Claims alleging careless design, development, testing, manufacture, or deployment count as defective-product claims rather than ordinary carelessness claims. These restrictions do not affect other people's liability. A claimant's own fault can still reduce recovery. The law took effect May 6, 2026. These restrictions are scheduled for repeal July 1, 2030.

People claiming that a level four or five driving system operated defectively must meet special proof requirements. These rules cover level four and five systems. The defenses protect manufacturers and developers against the listed defective-product claims. The person must prove that a reasonable, workable alternative design existed when the system was designed and manufactured. They must also prove the system causes more injuries overall than humans doing similar driving. A system meeting applicable federal vehicle standards and authorized for use in Utah is presumed free of defects. That presumption can be challenged. For defective design, manufacture, or failure-to-warn claims, makers avoid liability if they met the available scientific and technical knowledge and circumstances at manufacture, or if the deployed system reduces injuries overall compared with humans. The law took effect May 6, 2026. These defect tests and defenses are scheduled for repeal July 1, 2030.

An engaged automated driving system is responsible for following traffic and vehicle laws. This responsibility applies to vehicles equipped with automated driving systems while those systems are engaged. After a level three system asks a person to take over, the system remains responsible until it disengages. After a level four or five system asks for takeover, it remains responsible until a human begins operating the vehicle. The law took effect May 6, 2026.