ABSTRACT
The changeover to driverless cars provides a plethora of potential ethical dilemmas. What is the potential number of lives saved if driverless vehicles (DVs) can eliminate most traffic accidents?
There is also the promise of employment gains in a new technology, which may also, incidentally, cost others their existing jobs. It is expected that the software used by the car’s creator would make many decisions. If faced with the awful dilemma of running into a crowd of bystanders or an accident in which the car’s occupants are injured or killed, what decision would the (software guiding the) car make, and are these decisions consistent with people’s values? There are substantial ethical and legal liability issues, as well as broader property rights questions over vehicles, software, and the private information generated in support of the safety system. Who owns the software in those driverless cars, and who is liable if there is an accident in a DV car? Also, who owns the data generated by the DV software and cameras? Finally, are cybersecurity risks manageable?
