REGULATORY CHALLENGES OF ROBOTICS AND INSURANCE AGAINST DAMAGE CAUSED BY ROBOTS

With the advancement and introduction of robots, the law on robotics that is yet to be developed and formed as a separate legal science, has to provide answers to numerous questions de lege ferrenda such as the legal position of smart, autonomous robots, the issue of robot producers’ and owners’ liability, termination of robots, as well as other aspects of property rights. The emergence of a new generation of robots (capable of learning while moving and by gaining experience from environment) or autonomous vehicles, opened up a whole range of issues and challenges in terms of civil and legal liability. In this paper, the author explores different definitions of the term “robot” and the issue of civil and legal liability for damages caused by robots. Since international and national legal sources of liability, hazardous matters and hazardous activities do not cite any specific product but establish general rules and principles of responsibility and consumer protection, the author’s presentation in this paper is based on the application of the legal positivism to an object called “robot”.

Key words: robot, hazardous matter, product, liability, insurance