The Ethics of Self-Driving Cars: Part 2

EUGE...QVav

19 Jul 2023

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In part 1 of this article, we explored some of the ethical challenges and opportunities that self-driving cars present, such as how they should make moral decisions and who is responsible for the accidents and harms caused by them.

In this part, we will explore some more ethical challenges related to self-driving cars, such as how to ensure that they are fair, transparent, and respectful of human values and rights.

How to ensure that self-driving cars are fair? 🤝

One of the ethical challenges related to self-driving cars is how to ensure that they are fair, meaning that they do not discriminate or disadvantage certain groups or individuals based on their characteristics, such as race, gender, age, disability, or income.

Self-driving cars have the potential to improve fairness and equality in society by enhancing mobility and accessibility for people who face barriers or limitations in driving or using public transportation, such as the elderly, the disabled, or the low-income. However, self-driving cars can also create or exacerbate unfairness and inequality in society by creating biases or disparities in their design, operation, or impact.

For example, self-driving cars may be designed or programmed based on data or algorithms that reflect the preferences or values of certain groups or individuals over others, such as favoring certain routes, destinations, or passengers over others.

Self-driving cars may also operate or perform differently depending on the context or environment they encounter, such as avoiding certain neighborhoods, roads, or traffic conditions over others. Self-driving cars may also impact different groups or individuals differently depending on their access or exposure to them, such as creating new opportunities or challenges for employment, education, health, or leisure.

When self-driving cars create or exacerbate unfairness and inequality in society, they may harm the dignity, autonomy, and well-being of the affected groups or individuals. They may also undermine the trust and acceptance of the public towards self-driving cars and their developers and operators.

Therefore, there is a need to ensure that self-driving cars are fair, meaning that they do not discriminate or disadvantage certain groups or individuals based on their characteristics, and that they promote the common good and social justice for all.

One possible way to ensure that self-driving cars are fair is to adopt a human rights approach that recognizes and respects the inherent dignity and equal rights of all human beings regardless of their characteristics. This approach would require self-driving cars to comply with the universal principles and standards of human rights law and ethics, such as non-discrimination, participation, accountability, and transparency.

This approach would also require self-driving cars to protect and promote the human rights of all people affected by them, such as the right to life, liberty, security, privacy, mobility, education, health, work, and culture. Another possible way is to adopt a social justice approach that seeks to reduce or eliminate the structural causes and consequences of unfairness and inequality in society.

This approach would require self-driving cars to address the root problems and power imbalances that create or exacerbate unfairness and inequality in society, such as poverty, oppression, marginalization, or exclusion. This approach would also require self-driving cars to empower and enable the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups or individuals in society to access and benefit from them equally and equitably.

How to ensure that self-driving cars are transparent? 🕵️‍♂️

Another ethical challenge related to self-driving cars is how to ensure that they are transparent, meaning that they are open and honest about their design, operation, and impact. Self-driving cars have the potential to improve transparency and accountability in society by providing accurate and reliable information and evidence about their performance and outcomes. However, self-driving cars can also create or conceal opacity and deception in society by hiding or manipulating information or evidence about their design, operation, or impact.

For example, self-driving cars may be designed or programmed based on data or algorithms that are proprietary or confidential, meaning that they are not accessible or understandable by the public or regulators. Self-driving cars may also operate or perform based on decisions or actions that are complex or unpredictable, meaning that they are not explainable or traceable by the users or victims. Self-driving cars may also impact different groups or individuals based on outcomes or consequences that are uncertain or unintended, meaning that they are not foreseeable or controllable by the developers or operators.

When self-driving cars create or conceal opacity and deception in society, they may harm the trust and confidence of the public towards self-driving cars and their developers and operators. They may also undermine the responsibility and accountability of the developers and operators towards the public and regulators. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that self-driving cars are transparent, meaning that they are open and honest about their design, operation, and impact.

One possible way to ensure that self-driving cars are transparent is to adopt a data protection approach that regulates and safeguards the collection, processing, and sharing of personal and sensitive data related to self-driving cars. This approach would require self-driving cars to comply with the principles and rules of data protection law and ethics, such as consent, purpose, minimization, accuracy, security, and deletion.

This approach would also require self-driving cars to respect and protect the privacy and confidentiality of the data subjects and owners, such as the users, passengers, pedestrians, or third parties. Another possible way is to adopt an explainable AI approach that enables and enhances the understanding and communication of the decisions and actions of self-driving cars.

This approach would require self-driving cars to provide clear and comprehensible explanations and justifications for their decisions and actions, such as the data, algorithms, criteria, and trade-offs involved. This approach would also require self-driving cars to allow for feedback and correction from the users, victims, developers, or operators, such as the ability to question, challenge, or override their decisions and actions.

How to ensure that self-driving cars are respectful? 🙏

A third ethical challenge related to self-driving cars is how to ensure that they are respectful, meaning that they are courteous and considerate of the feelings, preferences, and values of the people they interact with. Self-driving cars have the potential to improve respect and civility in society by following and enforcing the rules and norms of road etiquette and behavior. However, self-driving cars can also create or violate disrespect and incivility in society by ignoring or offending the feelings, preferences, and values of the people they interact with.

For example, self-driving cars may be designed or programmed based on preferences or values that are not shared or accepted by the people they interact with, such as favoring certain languages, cultures, or religions over others.

Self-driving cars may also operate or perform based on actions or reactions that are not appropriate or acceptable by the people they interact with, such as honking, flashing, or tailgating other drivers or pedestrians. Self-driving cars may also impact different groups or individuals based on outcomes or consequences that are not desired or expected by the people they interact with, such as changing their travel plans, routes, or destinations without their consent or knowledge.

When self-driving cars create or violate disrespect and incivility in society, they may harm the dignity, autonomy, and well-being of the people they interact with. They may also undermine the trust and acceptance of the public towards self-driving cars and their developers and operators. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that self-driving cars are respectful, meaning that they are courteous and considerate of the feelings, preferences, and values of the people they interact with.

One possible way to ensure that self-driving cars are respectful is to adopt a user-centered design approach that involves and engages the users and stakeholders of self-driving cars in their design, development, and evaluation. This approach would require self-driving cars to understand and accommodate the needs, expectations, and preferences of the users and stakeholders, such as the drivers, passengers, pedestrians, or third parties.

This approach would also require self-driving cars to communicate and cooperate with the users and stakeholders in a clear, timely, and polite manner, such as providing information, feedback, or assistance when needed. Another possible way is to adopt a value-sensitive design approach that identifies and integrates the values and norms of the society and culture in which self-driving cars operate.

This approach would require self-driving cars to respect and uphold the values and norms of the society and culture, such as fairness, transparency, privacy, safety, or sustainability. This approach would also require self-driving cars to adapt and adjust to the values and norms of different societies and cultures, such as recognizing and responding to different languages, gestures, or customs.

Conclusion 🏁

Self-driving cars are an exciting and promising technology that can bring many benefits for society. However, they also pose many ethical challenges that need to be addressed before they can be widely adopted and trusted by the public. In this article, we have explored some more ethical challenges related to self-driving cars, such as how to ensure that they are fair, transparent, and respectful of human values and rights.

We have also discussed some possible ways to address these challenges, such as adopting a human rights or social justice approach for ensuring fairness; a data protection or explainable AI approach for ensuring transparency; a user-centered or value-sensitive design approach for ensuring respect.

We hope that this article has stimulated your interest and curiosity about the ethics of self-driving cars. We invite you to join us in further discussion and debate about this important topic.

Question for you 🙋

What do you think about the ethical issues related to self-driving cars? How would you ensure that they are fair, transparent, and respectful? Share your thoughts in the comments below!