Richard Zaher, Grade 10

With the coming of the new millennium, the world has experienced the implementation of the use of technology to an extent that is extremely unprecedented. From inventions that seem so sophisticated like the James Webb Hubble Telescope in 2022, or something so valuable yet so ordinary in today’s world like the iPhone, technology has truly revolutionized how we live our lives (Korkeamaki & Takalo, 2012). However, it has never presented a danger, not until now that is. Automated cars are now becoming the “next big thing” with companies like Tesla implementing the technology in some of their cars (Perkins & Murmann, 2018). Given the rapid rate of change in this area of automation, it raises a question for everyone: are automated cars truly safe and beneficial for everyone?

The most significant question mark with self-driving cars is the social aspect: are they ethical regarding road safety? One of the main points supporting self-driving cars is the hypothetical scenario where cars can be connected, working in tandem to prevent accidents (Holstein et al. 2018). However, experiments like the Trolley Problem have been devised to refute this system (Freemark, 2022). In this experiment, philosopher Judith Jarvis Thomson created a dilemma where saving more people’s lives would involve the intentional killing of another person. The puzzle this experiment of the 70s brings into today’s radically changed world is that it exemplifies the flaws of automated cars: they cannot make ethically informed decisions (Nyholm & Smids, 2016).

Privacy is another significant ethical concern associated with self-driving cars. These vehicles gather extensive data about their surroundings, passengers, and destinations. This wealth of information raises questions about data ownership, usage, and protection. For instance, a camera on a self-driving car would need to detect humans and collect data, even though there is no element of consent. To what extent would this be regarded as an invasion of privacy (Holstein et al. 2018)? Governments and private entities could potentially access and misuse this data, compromising individuals’ privacy and civil liberties. Robust data protection laws and regulations are essential to safeguard individual’s personal information and maintain public trust in autonomous vehicle technology.

The widespread adoption of self-driving cars also has socio-economic implications. While autonomous vehicles have the potential to increase mobility and accessibility, they may also disrupt employment in certain industries. The transportation sector, including truck drivers, taxi drivers, and delivery personnel, could face significant job losses as autonomous vehicles take over their roles. This raises concerns about the need for retraining and providing alternative employment opportunities for affected individuals. Governments and industries must address these potential job market disruptions and develop strategies to ensure a smooth transition. One potential fix to this pending problem would be creating jobs in management positions, putting the people who would end up losing their jobs in positions where they manage the cars that unemployed them in the first place.

Furthermore, self-driving cars have the potential to exacerbate existing socioeconomic disparities. The cost of autonomous vehicles and the required supporting infrastructure might be prohibitively expensive for lower-income communities, leading to a transportation divide. Countries like China have already begun mass manufacture of electric vehicles expecting them to take over markets. This could create a divide where the poorer portion of the population may not be able to afford the rising standard of electric vehicles (Perkins & Murmann, 2018). Additionally, rural areas or underprivileged neighborhoods may not receive the same investment and infrastructure development level, further deepening existing inequalities. Policymakers must work towards ensuring equitable access to self-driving car technology, ensuring that its benefits are accessible to all segments of society. As Rachel Wallace suggests in her article, a viable method of employing this is to use self-driving cars through a government-sanctioned system, assuring everyone that they will have access to these cars and their service (Wallace, 2017).

The impact of self-driving cars on urban infrastructure is also a significant concern. While proponents argue that autonomous vehicles can reduce traffic congestion, their implementation may require substantial road systems and infrastructure modifications. This could include redesigning roadways, creating dedicated lanes, and upgrading communication networks, all of which would be gargantuan in price. The issue of cars with no passengers also creates congestion that proponents choose to refute (Freemark, 2022). The costs associated with such infrastructure changes and the disruption they may cause during the transition pose significant challenges that must be addressed effectively.

The implementation of self-driving cars brings forth a range of social and ethical risks that require careful consideration. Ensuring the safety of autonomous vehicles, establishing clear liability frameworks, protecting individual privacy, addressing employment disruptions, bridging socioeconomic disparities, and managing urban infrastructure changes are crucial aspects that need to be proactively addressed. It is up to those in charge, those with the power to make a difference in this field, to ensure everyone benefits from the implementation of self-driving cars. Policymakers, industry leaders, and society as a whole must collaborate to develop comprehensive regulations, guidelines, and frameworks that mitigate these risks and promote a safe, equitable, and inclusive integration of self-driving cars into our society.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Badue, Claudine et al. “Self-driving cars: A survey” Expert Systems with Applications vol 165, (2021).

Fagnant DJ, Kockelman K (2015) “Preparing a nation for autonomous vehicles: opportunities, barriers and policy recommendations.” Transp Res Part A 77 (2015):167–181.

Freemark, Yonah “Without New Regulations, Self-Driving Cars Could Make Our Transportation System Even Worse”(2022).

Griffor, Edward “Cruising Toward Self-Driving Cars: Standards and Testing Will Help Keep Autonomous Vehicles Moving Safely on the Road” (2023).

Holstein, Tobias et al. “Ethical and Social Aspects of Self-Driving Cars” arXiv preprint (2018):1-11.

Korkeamaki, Timo P. and Takalo, Tuomas “Valuation of Innovation: The Case of iPhone” Bank of Finland Research Discussion (2012): 1-44.

Nyholm, Sven and Smids, Jilles “The Ethics of Accident-Algorithms for Self-Driving Cars: An Applied Trolley Problem?” ethical Theory and Moral Practice 19 (2016): 1275-1289.

Perkins, Greg and Murmann, Johann Peter “What Does the Success of Tesla Mean for the Future Dynamics in the Global Automobile Sector?” Management and Organization Review 3, 14 (2018): 471-480.

Shalev-Shwartz, Shai et al. “On a Formal Model of Safe and Scalable Self-Driving Cars” arXiv preprint arXiv (2017):1-37.

Thomson, Judith Jarvis “Killing, Letting Die, and the Trolley Problem” Philosophical Problems of Death 2, 59 (1976): 204-217.

Wallace, Rachel L. “Mobility: The Socioeconomic Implications of Autonomous Vehicles”
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NHTSA Automated Vehicles for Safety

USDOT Automated Vehicles Activities