Ethical Autonomous Vehicles

Many car manufacturers are projecting that by 2025 most cars will operate on driverless systems. While it is plausible to think that our roads will be safer as autonomous vehicles replace traditional cars, the unpredictability of real-life situations that involve the complexities of moral and ethical reasoning are complications that detract from this assumption. How can such systems be designed to accommodate the complexity of moral and ethical thought processes, especially when human lives are involved? Just like choosing the color of a car, ethics may become a commodified feature in autonomous vehicles that one can buy and change, depending on personal taste.

Three distinct algorithms have been created, each adhering to a specific ethical principle: the humanist algorithm looks for the optimal safety outcome for all parties; the protector algorithm is focused on the safety of the driver and passenger(s); and the profit-based algorithm makes its decision based on budgetary reasons. The three algorithms have been embedded into driverless virtual cars which the viewer can drive in a simulated environment where the vehicles are confronted with various ethical dilemmas.