On the Ethics of Self-Driving Cars

Starting as early as 2009 with Google’s Waymo project, autonomous cars have become a focal point of modern technology. The possibility of having fully autonomous, self-directed vehicles that once seemed impossible is now becoming a closer reality as companies such as Tesla, Google, and Ford focus their efforts on developing self-driving cars. However, not everyone is enthusiastic about this new technology. In March of 2018, a self-driving Uber car tragically struck and killed a woman who was crossing the street while the driver was on her phone (Isidore, 2018). The accident generated much dissent over the ethics of developing self-driving cars, which may endanger pedestrians, drivers, and even their own passengers. Although the conversation surrounding self-driving cars is contentious, developing autonomous vehicles is ethical because they substantially improve the safety and reduce the environmental impact of motor vehicles, all values that align with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Code of Ethics.

Perhaps the most relevant tenet of the IEEE Code of Ethics is the first, which instructs engineers to “hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public…” (“IEEE Code of Ethics,” 2020). Safety is a looming concern regarding autonomous vehicles, since the driving algorithms must be near-perfect and extremely thorough in order to ensure the safety of the passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians. Although some find it difficult to trust driving that is controlled by a program and not a human being, studies show that human error is actually much more likely to cause accidents. In 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that human error played a role in 94% of all fatal crashes (Hersman, 2016). Autonomous driving removes the possibility of human error, which would greatly reduce the total number of car accidents. In fact, a 2015 report by consulting firm McKinsey and Company projected that self-driving cars would reduce car accidents by up to 90% and prevent up to $190 billion in damages and health costs a year (Bertoncello, 2021). Autonomous vehicles, which are programmed to always abide by traffic laws and prioritize safety over expediency, are actually a much safer alternative to human-controlled vehicles. An algorithm is never intoxicated, distracted, or emotional. Humans, on the other hand, introduce a variety of variables that could impact the reliability of their driving on a given day. Humans are also uniquely limited in what they can do, whereas technology has the enhanced capability to sense and process the world around it in a way that humans cannot. For example, human reaction time may prevent a person from braking fast enough to avoid a collision. Autonomous cars do not need additional reaction time; they react to oncoming collisions as soon as they are sensed, decreasing the likelihood of crashing (Nowak). With the removal of human error along with the implementation of advanced safety technology, self-driving cars are overall much safer than human-driven cars. By contributing to the development of these safer cars, autonomous vehicle engineers are abiding by the first tenet of the IEEE Code of Ethics and working to improve the safety of the public.

A second ethical standard electrical engineers must abide by is to follow “sustainable development practices” (“IEEE Code of Ethics,” 2020). While it is true that some technologies come at the expense of the environment, self-driving cars are not one such technology. A study conducted by the Energy Information Administration found that introducing fully autonomous vehicles onto the roads could cut down fuel consumption by up to 44% for cars and 18% for trucks by 2050 (“Study of the Potential Energy,” 2017, p. 69). By substantially reducing fuel consumption by motor vehicles, autonomous vehicles are actually helping the environment. This positive environmental impact is not limited to a case where all or even a majority of cars are autonomous, however. Even a single autonomous vehicle can influence the flow of at least 20 surrounding vehicles, with considerable reductions in velocity standard deviation, excessive braking, and fuel consumption (Stern et. al., 2018, pp. 205-221). One autonomous vehicle can noticeably reduce the environmental harm done by cars; the further development and improvement of these self-driving cars encourages the effect to take hold. By working to advance autonomous driving technology and therefore make self-driving cars more mainstream, engineers are contributing to a more sustainable future for motor vehicles and thus abiding by the IEEE Code of Ethics.

The list of benefits brought about by self-driving cars goes on— and the more this technology is developed by companies like Tesla and Google, the more effective these cars will be in improving the safety, environmental impact, and quality of life of people owning motor vehicles. Engineers who help develop these autonomous vehicles are clearly following the IEEE Code of Ethics, which emphasizes the safety of the public and sustainable development. With any new technology comes the fear of the unfamiliar and a reluctance to trust machines over people, but the tangible benefits of self-driving cars outweigh the negatives and leave a lasting impression on modern transportation.

References

[1] Bertoncello, M., & Wee, D. (2021, June 22). Ten ways autonomous driving could redefine the Automotive World. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/ten-ways-autonomous-driving-could-redefine-the-automotive-world

[2] Glon, R., & Edelstein, S. (2020, July 31). History of self-driving cars milestones. Digital Trends. https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/history-of-self-driving-cars-milestones/

[3] Hersman, D. (2016, November 16). Automated & Self-Driving Vehicle Revolution: What is the Role of Government? National Safety Council. https://www.nsc.org/company/speeches-testimony/testimony-the-automated-self-driving-vehicle-revolution

[4] IEEE. (2020, June). IEEE code of Ethics. IEEE. https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/governance/p7-8.html

[5] Isidore, C. (2018, March 21). Self-driving cars are already really safe. CNNMoney. https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/21/technology/self-driving-car-safety/

[6] Lau, A. (2020, August 13). The ethics of self-driving cars. Medium. https://towardsdatascience.com/the-ethics-of-self-driving-cars-efaaaaf9e320

[7] Nowak, P. (2018, February 2). The ethical dilemmas of self-driving cars. The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/technology/the-ethical-dilemmas-of-self-drivingcars/article37803470/.

[8] Stern, R. E., et al. (2018). Dissipation of stop-and-go waves via control of autonomous vehicles: Field experiments. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 89, 205–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trc.2018.02.005

[9] U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2017, March). Study of the Potential Energy Consumption Impacts of Connected and Automated Vehicles. https://www.eia.gov/analysis/studies/transportation/automated/pdf/automated_vehicles.pdf