Key Ethical Issues for Use of Automated and Autonomous Vehicles

Artificial Intelligence (AI) robotic vehicles—air, ground, space, or water—operate autonomously. A variant is assisting a human operator. An AI vehicle is a robot. Such technologies already operate in early forms. One applied ethics problem is designing rules for operation of these vehicles. The problem is to minimize harm to humans and damage to property while maximizing social benefits. There is a public policy decision about whether to ban or to mandate AI robotic vehicles. Such vehicles may be much safer but at higher financial cost. A related ethics problem is how to set standards for product liability in case of harm to humans or property. Choices involve strict versus negligence liability, within differences between U.S. civil litigation and evolving European Union mandatory compensation approaches. A third approach might be a societal compensation fund. Analysis of AI robotic vehicles may assist with a broader range of coming AI technologies.