Who Is To Blame When A Robotic Car Crashes?

http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2012-04/who-blame-when-robotic-car-crashes
The article discusses the implications of removing drivers from cars and replacing them with automatic driving robots. It starts by mentioning the mechanical improvements to cars such as anti-lock brakes and traction control and how those computerized elements have drastically lowered accident rates. It goes on to state that a majority of car accidents are caused by human error and by removing the driver, a majority of accidents would not have occurred. But the issue is the matter of insurance. Manufacturers would the most likely to blame if an malfunctioning car were to cause an accident. The article goes on to mention that if manufacturers are to be put on the spot, they would be more reluctant to build autonomous cars. It finally mentions that the government could step in to regulate such matters by protecting the small amount of people who theoretically would be involved in accidents while still promoting the production of autonomous driving cars.

Should the government encourage autonomous driving vehicles as a matter of safety? Is a car's autopilot a sign of humanity's growing fragility in piloting vehicles?