Self-Driving Car Ethics

Author: Karis Hustad

Date: October 10, 2018

Link: https://www.digitalethics.org/essays/self-driving-car-ethics

First Impression: The essay probably talks about self driving cars, and its advantages and disadvantages.

Quote: “Accidents involving self-driving cars are usually due to sensor error or software error”

Reflection: 

A self-driving car, also known as an autonomous vehicle, is a vehicle that can sense its environment and move safely with little or no human input. With the help of sensors around the vehicle, these sensors help self-driving cars perceive its surroundings, which then uses the information to identify correct navigation paths, as well as any impediments and signage. The reason as to why big corporations are pushing through with self-driving cars is to minimize the chances of death and to prove that self-driving cars are better drivers than humans. I think that this is a good idea, especially since it reduces the number of deaths caused by motor vehicles driven by humans. The only problem is that even though it is not yet one hundred percent done, it is now being currently tested in different areas. The reason for that is probably so that the cars would memorize and learn recursively how to commit fewer mistakes when driving. But there are times where cars may think that pedestrians are something else, so it is difficult for these cars to identify whether to stop or not, which probably is the reason for accidents of self-driving vehicles. It is not really “bad programming,” but it is just the lack of interpretation the self-driving car has. Developers of self-driving vehicles should work hard and be able to teach the car how to identify different obstacles that the vehicle will experience before implementing this for business use.

5 Things I Learned

1. I learned that accidents involving self-driving cars are usually due to sensor error or software error.

2. I learned that self-driving cars are programmed to be rule-followers.

3. I learned that self-driving cars takes a utilitarian approach.

4. I learned that AV’s should be programmed with instructions on how to behave on the road.

5. I learned that Industry leaders continue to push ahead with development of AV’s.

5 Integrative Questions

1. Will self driving cars be allowed in the Philippines as a mode of transportation, similar to Grab and Uber?

2. When driving a self-driving car, who is making the choice, the car or the driver?

3. Can we ever learn to trust our self-driving cars?

4. How do companies that product self-driving cars implement their updates?

5. What happens if self-driving cars security is exploited or hacked, can it be remotely controlled like a remote control toy car?