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I want to learn some responsibilities of software developers. For example, if I am coding on self driving cars's systems and one day the car causes the death of someone who is responsible of that? Am I responsible on front of laws because I am a member of the developer team of the car self driving system? I think if developers are responsible for results of life critical systems, no one wants to code these systems.

I am going to accept a job as a mid-level developer which includes a life critical system project and i am confusing about the consequences. Will I be responsible on front of laws if the system one day causes a death?

I know that i will give my signature for parts of project that i will work with a team.

Ron Trunk
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avrupayakasi
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1 Answers1

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Possibly

Manufacturer’s of goods and services (including software) are potentially liable for harm their products cause.

The most common cause of action is negligence which requires:

  1. A duty of care,
  2. Breach of that duty,
  3. Causing (both legally and proximately) …
  4. Damage.

If the conduct that causes harm is reckless or malicious this may be a crime.

That said, such suits or prosecutions are rare and hardly ever succeed. It is also difficult to see who exactly was negligent. Is it the retailer? The distributor? The integrator? The library developer? The project manager? These could all be different people/companies.

Dale M
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