While it’s illegal to drink alcohol on Washington’s public transport, the question becomes more curious when self-driving cars enter the picture. Many beer enthusiasts wonder if enjoying a pint in a vehicle that drives itself could fall into a legal gray area. The laws of Washington state are very complex owing to the fact that they presuppose that a human being is driving the car. To breweries and beer enthusiasts, this provides an intriguing debate on how individuals may enjoy craft beer, whether it is in a taproom or an autonomous ride without crossing legal boundaries. Learning the subtleties will enable fans to walk the fine line between their passion for beer and the future of transport.
Levels of Automation
To begin with, it is necessary to comprehend that self-driving is not a unified category. The SAE international levels of driving automation have five distinct categories: autonomous driving:
- Level 1: It has one automated system, e.g., cruise control.
- Level 2: There are 2 automation features in the vehicle, though, such as cruise control and lane centering.
- Level 3: The car is able to handle all the driving actions, but within some conditions, and the driver can also disengage the car, although the driver must always be prepared to take over.
- Level 4: Autonomous vehicles fully controlled within a certain geographic zone, a driver is not needed at all; nowadays, they appear in such cities as San Francisco.
- Level 5: The vehicle is capable of operating all the time independently, in any location (these currently don’t exist yet)
Consumer-level vehicles bought from a dealership are almost certainly level 1 or level 2.
Washington DUI Law
The Washington law is clear that it’s unlawful for someone to drive a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. But, self-driving technology means this once clear statute now has room for interpretation. The keyword in the law is “drive,” and as of right now, Washington courts have chosen a broad interpretation. In other words, if you’re sitting at the wheel of a level 1 or level 2 vehicle, it might be considered driving even if the car is in automatic mode. The autonomous features don’t protect you from being arrested for DUI if you’re drinking on the way to the bar in your self-driving car.
Driving With an Open Container
Washington’s open container laws are much clearer. The legislation does not allow an open container in a moving vehicle, no matter who is driving. Because the only thing you need to be charged with an open container charge is a container being open and being near you when you are driving (even though you may not be actively drinking out of it), the rule applies to autonomous driving functions of a car or otherwise. To those who appreciate craft beer, this shows the need to drink your beers in the right environment and in moderation, such as at home, a brewery, or a festival, where you will be able to enjoy every pour without fear of legal consequences. Even if a passenger is the one drinking beer, the driver is legally responsible.
What About a Robotaxi
The services provided by Robo Taxi, such as Waymo, do not feature a steering wheel or pedals, and those inside are passengers and not drivers. This implies that the laws discussed in the above practices may not be applicable in a self-driving Taxi as the laws are limited to the driver. In Washington, the passengers in privately chartered party buses are permitted to have open alcohol containers, so similar regulations may apply to automated taxis. The state hasn’t yet issued any legal guidance on the legal situation here, because at the time of writing, Wayamo and similar companies don’t currently operate in Washington State. Of course, the technology is still developing, and self-driving cars will potentially cause some unprecedented legal situations in the near future.
If you need an experienced self-driving crash attorney, LA, San Francisco, and Phoenix currently have some of the only ones with practical, real-world experience. Washington traffic regulations are designed to follow human drivers, and self-driving cars have developed actual gray legalities that are not yet addressed by state legislators. Meanwhile, until you are proven otherwise, it is probably the best bet to assume that you are no exception to the same laws of DUI and open container as any other citizen. These laws are bound to evolve with the development of autonomous technology, but until then, to drink a craft beer responsibly, you would need to plan it out, either by having a designated driver using a ride-hailing service or visiting a local brewery tour where transportation is included with the cost. We have more to say about other related issues, which you may read in our other blogs.
