Autonomous and uncrewed vehicle systems are revolutionizing modern life and commerce. As capabilities expand, these systems promise to deliver significant environmental and cost benefits, while also presenting novel regulatory and legal risks for designers and manufacturers.

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Overview

Autonomous and uncrewed vehicle systems are revolutionizing modern life and commerce. As capabilities expand, these systems promise to deliver significant environmental and cost benefits, while also presenting novel regulatory and legal risks for designers and manufacturers.

Areas of Focus

Air

Since incorporating Boeing in 1916, Perkins Coie has provided leading-edge guidance to companies in the aerospace industry. Our deep experience enables us to provide an exceptional level of service and knowledge to our clients in the uncrewed aerial vehicle space.

As governmental and commercial applications of uncrewed aerial vehicles continue their revolutionary trajectory, Perkins Coie has committed itself to the growth and protection of the companies and technology within this industry. Our dedication includes monitoring regulatory and technological developments and participation in industry groups focused on the evolving technology and expanding marketplace.

Ground

Our firm represents some of the key players in the autonomous car and trucking sector. Although autonomous features on ground vehicles are not new, recent developments in autonomous technology have the potential to transform both the car and trucking industries, including significantly reducing labor costs and motor vehicle accidents. We work with top autonomous vehicle companies, original equipment manufacturers (OEM), LiDAR and communications companies, and automotive manufacturers across a range of practices, including intellectual property, privacy, communications, and product liability. Our interdisciplinary team helps our clients overcome the legal hurdles to fully deploy this technology, mitigate the risks involved, and ensure that their intellectual property is protected.

Maritime

Autonomous and uncrewed shipping technologies have the potential to make greener, safer, and cheaper ships while also creating new tech and manufacturing jobs. Development of uncrewed submersibles has resulted in vessels that can reach depths previously unattainable by divers or larger crewed vessels.

As with all such systems, autonomous and uncrewed vehicles present numerous potential legal and regulatory challenges, both domestically and internationally. Perkins Coie’s AUVS group helps companies face practical and creative solutions.

Areas of Focus

Air

Since incorporating Boeing in 1916, Perkins Coie has provided leading-edge guidance to companies in the aerospace industry. Our deep experience enables us to provide an exceptional level of service and knowledge to our clients in the uncrewed aerial vehicle space.

As governmental and commercial applications of uncrewed aerial vehicles continue their revolutionary trajectory, Perkins Coie has committed itself to the growth and protection of the companies and technology within this industry. Our dedication includes monitoring regulatory and technological developments and participation in industry groups focused on the evolving technology and expanding marketplace.

Ground

Our firm represents some of the key players in the autonomous car and trucking sector. Although autonomous features on ground vehicles are not new, recent developments in autonomous technology have the potential to transform both the car and trucking industries, including significantly reducing labor costs and motor vehicle accidents. We work with top autonomous vehicle companies, original equipment manufacturers (OEM), LiDAR and communications companies, and automotive manufacturers across a range of practices, including intellectual property, privacy, communications, and product liability. Our interdisciplinary team helps our clients overcome the legal hurdles to fully deploy this technology, mitigate the risks involved, and ensure that their intellectual property is protected.

Maritime

Autonomous and uncrewed shipping technologies have the potential to make greener, safer, and cheaper ships while also creating new tech and manufacturing jobs. Development of uncrewed submersibles has resulted in vessels that can reach depths previously unattainable by divers or larger crewed vessels.

As with all such systems, autonomous and uncrewed vehicles present numerous potential legal and regulatory challenges, both domestically and internationally. Perkins Coie’s AUVS group helps companies face practical and creative solutions.

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Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning & Robotics

AI and machine learning are foundational technologies for autonomous vehicles. From product concept to launch, we provide guidance on the development of products and services that merge digital presence, physical hardware, and computational intelligence. Representing both providers and purchasers of AI, we routinely advise on a range of issues, including data use (including data ownership), data privacy compliance and data security compliance, intellectual property, portability and reusability of AI, and risks of algorithmic discrimination.

Related Services

Emerging Companies & Venture Capital

Startups and emerging companies form a large portion of the autonomous and uncrewed vehicle industry. We provide newly established businesses with practical, strategic advice on overcoming challenges at all stages of growth, from incorporation to monetization and exit. Perkins Coie lawyers have handled thousands of venture financings and possess significant experience with private debt and equity financing transactions for emerging company clients.

Technological innovations are the lifeblood of the autonomous and uncrewed vehicle industry. Perkins Coie advises the emerging companies, inventors, entrepreneurs, and innovators who are developing IP assets and technology. Commercialization of technology is a major focus for our more than 50 IP licensing attorneys. We concentrate on structuring, negotiating, and documenting a wide variety of arrangements to acquire, develop, protect and distribute technologies, both domestically and internationally.

Patent and Intellectual Property Protection

We are well known for the deep technical backgrounds of our intellectual property lawyers. Many of our UAVS team members have backgrounds in computer science, electronics, aerospace, and aeronautical and astronautical engineering. Several of our lawyers have examined patent applications in the field of aeronautics and astronautics at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and some are licensed pilots.

To support the patent prosecution and litigation needs of our clients, we have more than 100 patent litigators who collaborate with our patent prosecution team. We advocate for clients through the entire litigation process—from preliminary injunction hearings, Markman hearings, and International Trade Commission (ITC) litigation to jury and bench trials nationwide. Our lawyers have served as first-chair trial leads and litigated patent claims in over 50 jurisdictions throughout the United States.

Regulatory Compliance

Companies in the autonomous and uncrewed vehicle industry confront a rapidly changing regulatory environment. Perkins Coie’s experience helps companies navigate regulations promulgated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), as well as state and local authorities. We have advised clients on NHTSA regulations and obtaining exemptions where necessary. We also have advised clients on compliance with FAA regulations, including Part 107 and waivers thereto.

Parking structures, intersections, airports, and railways are building integrated connectivity into their infrastructures. We work with companies and cities engaged in public-private partnerships (P3s), which can provide much-needed cost containment for public and private sector entities.

Privacy & Data Security

With the advent of autonomous and uncrewed vehicle comes a rise in privacy-related concerns. To help clients navigate these emerging challenges, Perkins Coie has assembled an interdisciplinary privacy and security team, which includes litigators, transactional lawyers, and public policy and regulatory lawyers.

Our substantial experience in handling privacy litigation includes defending class action lawsuits and government enforcement actions. We also have developed privacy and security policies, implemented fair information practices, and executed privacy and security audits.

As vehicle manufacturers integrate autonomy and connectivity into automobiles, they create conveniences for consumers and necessities for the emerging technological landscape. They also can cause a data and cybersecurity nightmare. Strategic legal guidance is essential to ensuring privacy and security.

Perkins Coie has decades of experience working with innovative companies that are generating, storing, and using data for machine learning and feedback integration related to autonomous operations. We advise on data privacy issues for clients developing, manufacturing, and distributing technologies.

Product Liability and Risk Management

As companies in the autonomous and uncrewed vehicle space innovate technologies and integrate them into operations, they must also address the risks of personal injury lawsuits. Perkins Coie offers product liability counseling to help clients minimize risk. We deliver customized workshops that provide employee education, counsel clients on risk analysis, and guide the development of product warnings. If personal injury claims arise, we represent clients in government investigations and vigorously defend them in lawsuits.

Our vast product liability experience includes a strong focus on aviation. Our aviation and aerospace group, ranked in Band 1 by Chambers USA in aviation litigation since 2009, represents leading aerospace and aviation companies, such as The Boeing Company and Honeywell Aerospace, in high-profile, high-stakes matters, including major airline disasters and satellite losses.

Insurance Recovery

Perkins Coie’s Insurance Recovery practice remains in step with the growth of the autonomous and uncrewed vehicle evolution. We advise policy holders on the insurance necessary to protect them from the risks and uncertainties involved in the use of these rapidly evolving technologies. Should disputes arise in the future, we also have extensive experience representing clients in insurance litigation.

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