As I've already noted in another response, software controlling mechanical devices have killed quite a few times already. Software recommending improper actions has also done quite a bit of injury. And that's ignoring financial losses. Why shouldn't the option of certified software be available? Why shouldn't these losses be recoverable? Why is this ONE industry allowed to escape any kind of responsibility - even when they KNOW that the flaws exist? In any other industry, that is the key to adding PUNITIVE damages to actual damages...

In your example, the manufacturer of the car is not responsible for the performance failure of an alarm system (unless it was factory-installed and they KNEW it was faulty), but the manufacturer of the alarm certainly IS!

With software controlling more and more automated devices, the potential for more disasters is increasing daily. Are we going to ignore it until our own Titanic disaster occurs?




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