The risk ethics of autonomous vehicles: a continuous trolley problem in regular road traffic

Is the ethics of autonomous vehicles (AVs) restricted to weighing lives in unavoidable accidents? We argue that AVs distribute risks between road users in regular traffic situations, either explicitly or implicitly. This distribution of risks raises ethically relevant questions that cannot be evaded...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors Krügel, Sebastian, Uhl, Matthias
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 24.05.2022
Subjects
Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence
Computer Science - Computers and Society
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Summary:Is the ethics of autonomous vehicles (AVs) restricted to weighing lives in unavoidable accidents? We argue that AVs distribute risks between road users in regular traffic situations, either explicitly or implicitly. This distribution of risks raises ethically relevant questions that cannot be evaded by simple heuristics such as "hitting the brakes." Using an interactive, graphical representation of different traffic situations, we measured participants' preferences on driving maneuvers of AVs in a representative survey in Germany. Our participants' preferences deviated significantly from mere collision avoidance. Interestingly, our participants were willing to take risks themselves for the benefit of other road users suggesting that the social dilemma of AVs may lessen in a context of risk.
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.2206.03258