Criminal Liability for Violation of the Rules of Creation, Operation, Repair or Other Interaction with Robots and Autonomous Robots

Abstract

Currently, robotics, along with other end-to-end technologies, is one of the key drivers of the digital economy. Robots are already successfully used in industry, agriculture, construction, aviation, and many other sectors of economic activity. Robots, due to their inherent properties, can not only store, process, and transmit information, but also perform certain mechanical actions, in accordance with the algorithms of their computer programs. The models of criminal law regulation that have been developed and are applied to the operators of computer equipment can not be fully adapted to the regulation of robots and are not fully relevant for the purposes of protecting public relations that develop in connection with their functioning. Robots, depending on their tactical and technical characteristics, can be a source of various threats, some of which create a danger of harming interests protected by criminal law and, under unfavorable circumstances, can realize this danger. Therefore, activities related to the development, operation and repair of robots must be consistent with the criminal law norms of a prohibitive nature. To ensure the safe and uninterrupted creation, operation, repair or other interaction with robots and autonomous robots, as well as to prevent harm in the course of the functioning of such robots, it is possible to propose to the legislator to supplement the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation with a separate norm on liability for violation of the rules of creation, operation, repair or other interaction with such robots.