Faulty ADAS: Who’s Liable for Your Accident?

The Collins Law Firm is proud to represent Illinois businesses, commercial operators, and dealerships navigating the growing legal challenges of vehicle automation. As vehicles become increasingly equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), many owners and fleet managers are learning a difficult truth: new safety features can bring new liabilities. When ADAS technology fails—whether due to manufacturing defects, faulty installation, or inadequate software updates—serious accidents and complex legal questions follow.

At The Collins Law Firm, our defective products attorneys stand ready to help businesses protect their rights, recover damages, and hold negligent manufacturers accountable for unsafe technology.

Understanding ADAS: Innovation Meets Responsibility

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are designed to make driving safer through automation and real-time sensor feedback. Common ADAS features include:

• Lane departure warning and lane keeping assist
  
• Automatic emergency braking (AEB)
  
• Adaptive cruise control
  
• Blind spot detection and collision warning
  
• Pedestrian detection and avoidance
  
• Parking assist and driver fatigue monitoring
  

These systems rely on radar, cameras, and software integration to anticipate hazards and prevent crashes. However, when any part of this intricate network fails—due to defective sensors, calibration errors, or flawed software—drivers lose critical seconds of control.

For Illinois businesses that maintain large fleets, service advanced vehicles, or sell to consumers, the consequences of a faulty ADAS can include injury claims, vehicle damage, and costly legal exposure.

The Legal Landscape: Who Bears Liability for a Faulty ADAS?

Determining fault in an ADAS-related crash can be far more complex than in a typical car accident. The question isn’t always “Who was driving?”—but rather, “Who programmed, installed, or maintained the system?”

Potentially liable parties include:

• Manufacturers – Automakers and technology developers responsible for defective design, testing failures, or inadequate warnings.
  
• Dealerships – If a dealer sells a vehicle with known safety issues or fails to perform required software updates.
  
• Repair or service facilities – If improper sensor calibration or missed recalls contributed to a malfunction.
  
• Fleet owners or operators – If they fail to maintain systems or address recurring safety alerts, leading to foreseeable harm.
  

At The Collins Law Firm, our personal injury attorneys have decades of experience untangling these chains of responsibility. We work with engineering experts and accident reconstruction specialists to determine whether negligence, defective design, or corporate oversight contributed to a preventable crash.

How Illinois Businesses Are Affected by Faulty ADAS Systems

Illinois businesses face unique risks as ADAS-equipped vehicles become standard across commercial fleets and dealership inventories.

• Commercial Fleets: Trucking companies, delivery services, and rideshare operators rely on driver-assist features for safety and efficiency. When those systems fail, a single malfunction can lead to catastrophic injury and millions in liability exposure.
  
• Dealerships: With the rise of over-the-air software updates and complex sensor systems, dealerships can become entangled in litigation if they fail to disclose defects or service recalls.
  
• Auto Repair Facilities: Modern repair shops are increasingly responsible for recalibrating ADAS sensors after windshield or body repairs. A minor calibration error can later result in fatal collisions—and potential negligence claims.
  

The Collins Law Firm helps businesses protect their reputation and legal standing when defective technology, not human error, causes harm.

Common Examples of ADAS Failures

Defective ADAS systems can fail in subtle but dangerous ways. Our car accident attorneys have reviewed cases involving:

• Phantom braking: The vehicle unexpectedly slows or stops due to misinterpreted sensor data.
  
• Blind spot system errors: Failure to detect nearby vehicles during lane changes.
  
• Lane keeping malfunctions: False readings cause steering corrections into traffic.
  
• Inaccurate object detection: Pedestrian or cyclist detection systems fail to respond in time.
  
• Software instability: Incomplete updates cause features to disable without warning.
  

When failures like these lead to accidents, businesses may find themselves defending claims or absorbing losses for technology they didn’t design. Illinois law allows you to pursue compensation or indemnification from the responsible manufacturer or supplier.

Illinois Product Liability Law and ADAS Technology

Under Illinois product liability statutes, any company involved in the chain of distribution can be held liable if a product is defective and causes harm. For ADAS-related claims, defects can arise from:

1. Design flaws – Unsafe engineering or inadequate safety testing before release.
   
2. Manufacturing errors – Mistakes during sensor production, assembly, or calibration.
   
3. Failure to warn – Incomplete user instructions, unclear limitations, or failure to disclose known malfunctions.
   

If a business, dealership, or fleet owner suffers loss due to a defective ADAS, The Collins Law Firm can file claims seeking compensation for:

• Vehicle repair and replacement costs
  
• Lost income or business interruption
  
• Personal injury or wrongful death damages
  
• Reputational harm due to publicized incidents
  

Why ADAS Lawsuits Require Specialized Legal Experience

ADAS cases combine traditional product liability law with cutting-edge technology and data analysis. Successfully litigating these claims requires:

• Access to vehicle data and event recorders
  
• Expertise in sensor calibration and software diagnostics
  
• Understanding of federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS)
  
• Experience with manufacturer recall and compliance issues
  

Our attorneys at The Collins Law Firm bring both environmental and product liability expertise to the table—helping clients confront powerful corporations whose products endanger Illinois consumers and businesses.

We don’t shy away from complex litigation or high-tech defendants. Our mission is to ensure accountability wherever safety systems fail.

Protecting Your Business from Future ADAS Liability

Even as lawsuits rise, businesses can take steps to limit risk:

1. Stay Current on Recalls and Technical Bulletins – Always check manufacturer notices for ADAS updates.
   
2. Require Proper Calibration After Repairs – Ensure technicians are trained and equipment is certified.
   
3. Document Everything – Maintain records of service, updates, and software patches.
   
4. Communicate with Drivers and Customers – Provide clear disclosures about how systems operate and their limitations.
   
5. Partner with Legal Counsel – Establish a relationship with an attorney experienced in product liability before a problem arises.
   

If your business becomes involved in a crash related to ADAS malfunction, early legal intervention is critical. The Collins Law Firm can help you preserve data, identify responsible parties, and protect your company from unfair blame.

Holding Manufacturers Accountable

Auto manufacturers and technology companies have a duty to ensure the systems they design are safe, tested, and transparent. When profits come before safety, Illinois law allows businesses and individuals to demand justice.

The Collins Law Firm has a proven record of standing up to major corporations in cases involving environmental harm, defective products, and catastrophic injury. We bring that same level of commitment to emerging technology claims like ADAS failures—helping Illinois businesses recover what they’ve lost and restore public trust.

Call The Collins Law Firm Today

When a safety feature causes harm instead of preventing it, accountability matters. Whether you operate a dealership, manage a fleet, or own a repair facility, you deserve strong legal protection against defective technology and negligent manufacturers.

Call The Collins Law Firm today to schedule your free consultation. Our attorneys are ready to help your business navigate the intersection of technology, liability, and justice—and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Get justice. Contact The Collins Law Firm now.