Legal liability

... everything that happened.

Liability-wise.

Yeah, yeah.

But, um, yeah, it's still going.

one manufacturer has already chosen a dramatically different answer to the entire liability question.

Mercedes-Benz equips certain vehicles with a system called Drive Pilot, which can take over only in slow, heavy highway traffic, in daylight, and clear weather.

it only takes over at speeds up to 40 miles per hour.

Those conditions are narrow by design.

But within that narrow window, Mercedes made a promise no other mass market manufacturer had made before.

The company said it would accept full legal responsibility for a crash that happens while DrivePilot is actively engaged and operating inside its approved conditions.

Nevada approved the system first, in January of 2023.

If I were to go to my doctor and the standard of care... and my doctor says, "Okay, Michelle, it's time to start having mammograms," and I say, "I don't wanna have a mammogram.

What is another option?" Is she, uh, like, liability-wise, allowed to step out of her guidelines that she's regulated by to say, "Okay, why don't you go...

Here's a requisition for an ultrasound"? Is that a better option?

So an ultrasound is a better option.

There's no, there's no place in 2026 or in the last quarter of 2025 where there's any talk about any type of harm to come to Ashley Flynn.

So I don't know what civil liability she would have either.

Makes, also makes no sense.

I agree.

[clears throat] Slothrop gets hoisted out of the drink by a fishing boat turned smuggling vessel piloted by, quote-unquote, "Pirate Queen Frau Gnabb and her son Otto." They're on their way to Schweinemünde to rendezvous with Der Springer, whose true identity Slothrop finally, I guess, learns.

Vongerl takes Slothrop under his wing as he meets up with his associates, Klaus Naresch, the V2 guidance engineer Acht-Vaden gave up on the toilet ship, and GMB Haftung, a showman who's got, uh, chorus girls, a brass band, and performing chimpanzees in tow.

Everyone and everything and every ape loaded onto Gnabb's boat, the gang departs for Panemunde on a collision course with Chichurin.

Naresch mistrusts Slothrop ... try saying that five times fast, but Vongerl assures everyone he's harmless, brushing off his questions about the Escherat.

Yeah

... an actual phrase that people use.

I was too caught up on our next talking name, which is also a German phrase, GMB Haftung.

Um, Gesellschaft mit, uh, beschrankter haftung is German for limited liability company.