German civil liability for users and manufactures of robotic transportation systems

Currently the market for service robots is expanding very fast. Special attention is given to robots designed to assist elderly persons with degenerative mental and physical abilities, technology which has arisen from the demand associated with recent demographic changes. Therefore, several mobility aids equipped with assistance functions such as obstacle avoidance were developed in recent years to support the mobility of the elderly. However, many legal questions surrounding the use of these systems remain unanswered including the important question of liability. These problems become more complicated with the advent of new technology, such as the ability for robots to “learn” and adapt new functions to perform their duties. The law is not yet prepared for the changes coming with these modern technologies. Robots and autonomous systems are not quite considerate by the law until now. Therefore, this paper wants to shed light onto the issues surrounding transport robots in AAL and German civil liability. It will focus on the liability of the manufacturer and user both in the status quo and with regard to future problems.