Regulation of auto safety today is based on an assumption that cars will be sold to end customers. But the first driverless cars are likely to be rented, not owned. That has big implications for the way they should be regulated. This presentation will describe the technological and economic forces that are pushing the industry toward an on-demand rental model for the first generation of driverless cars. Then it will explain how the current legal framework for self-driving cars is not well suited for regulating these services. Specific suggestions will be presented for steps that policymakers could take to improve oversight of self driving cars, without slowing the development of this potentially life-saving technology.

Bio: Timothy B. Lee is a reporter for Ars Technica, where he covers technology policy, blockchain technologies, and the future of transportation. He previously worked at Vox and the Washington Post. He has been writing about self-driving cars for more than a decade. He studied computer science at Princeton, doing work at CITP and earning a master’s degree in 2010. He lives in Washington DC.

No RSVP required for current Princeton faculty, staff, and students. Open to members of the public by invitation only. Please contact Jean Butcher at if you are interested in attending a particular lunch. To request accommodations for a disability, please contact Jean Butcher, , 609-258-9658 at least one week prior to the event.