Driverless Cars
By: Chris Broom
Summary
• “The dream of a car that can drive itself has grown
over the last decade as the necessary technologies
have gradually proved their worth, but the idea has
faced major legal hurdles.”1
• Benefits: safety, fuel-economy, lower insurance,
multi-tasking while riding
• Roadblocks: reducing size and cost of these
systems, recognizing precursors to risky scenarios
• Source 1:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328585.3
00-driverless-cars-ready-to-hit-our-roads.html
The 8-Step Process
1. Describe Ethical Issue
o
Should driverless cars be allowed on the road?
2. Who are the involved parties and what do they
want to accomplish?
o
o
Universities such as Oxford and car companies such as BMW want to be
able to produce and sell driverless cars
Politicians don’t want driverless cars to become common because of
the risks involved
3. Solutions
o
o
o
Allow all Universities or car companies to research, produce, and sell
driverless cars as desired
Ban all current and future research as well as not allow the selling of
driverless cars
Create encompassing list of possible risks and require that before
commercialization that all possible risks be eliminated and proven
overcome by testing
The 8-Step Process Cont.
4. Solution Evaluation
o
I would be comfortable with all parties having to adhere to the
compromise solution. It is a good balance because the only reason
government doesn’t want driverless cars is because of the risks. This
solution makes sure to eliminate those risks and then car companies get
what they want because it will then ideally be safe to sell these cars.
5. Is this solution natural?
o
6.
This solution is a balanced “real-world” solution. It is both possible and
plausible. The other extreme solutions would never be able to stand on
their own in this day and age.
Is it efficient?
o
I do believe this solution to be the most efficient and logical means to
the end possible. Also this solution satisfies all parties. Both government
and commercial organizations will happy because ultimately they can
do what they want.
The 8-Step Process Cont.
7. Solution Commitment
o
8.
I would still be committed to this solution whether I was a member of
either party. This decision is also independently made without pressures
from any groups.
Philosophical View
o On one hand this solution tends toward the pragmatic end of the
philosophical spectrum as it a compromise between the two parties
which assures that all parties end up happy.
o On the other hand it is pretty realistic as well. In the case of producing
and selling driverless cars many risks are involved that can result in injury or
even death. This solution is a means to a safe end that should end up
being the best possible solution for the real-world.
The ACM Code
• Driverless cars supported by:
o 1.1.2 – Less human error means lives saved
o 2.2.5 – The process is being debugged extensively
o 3.3.2 – Having cars that drive themselves should improve work production
in everyday life
o 3.3.4 – Our solution consists of a list of objectives that need to be
completed and validated