Verified Document

Cars On The Surface, Autonomous Cars Do Research Paper

Related Topics:

Cars On the surface, autonomous cars do not seem to present any serious ethical challenges. Their technological marvels herald a new era of transportation, in which roads can be potentially safer, less expensive, and more efficient. The technology includes a combination of sensory input devices such as GPS, radar, and cameras to enable the car to maneuver itself on roadways, and their processors allow for learning from experience. They are programmed to obey the rules of the road, and would therefore be far more law abiding than their human counterparts. Autonomous cars have a wide range of applications in business and law enforcement, and it is almost certain that they will be used in greater capacities in the future. However, for autonomous cars to remain safe and ethically viable, they should be required to operate in zones specifically designed for them as opposed to being a part of the standard traffic pattern.

Like all robotic devices, autonomous cars make decisions based on programmed rules. Unlike people, robots do not let distractions cloud their judgment or ability to operate a vehicle. A robotic car cannot drive drunk or text while driving. Therefore, robotic cars may be better than some drivers currently on the...

A robot is incapable of functioning fully in a world with human beings and with the uncertainty of nature. What if, as Lin suggests, a branch or a piece of debris enters the road? A robotic car will come to a complete stop, potentially causing an accident; the human being might temporarily break a rule in the interests of safety. Because human beings do not think or act like robots, they cannot necessarily share the road with autonomous vehicles. Moreover, the autonomous car cannot make the types of complex judgments a human being can make when it comes to flash ethical decisions. As Lin puts it, autonomous cars will never have the "track record" of cognition, perception, and judgment that would allow for important decision to be made.
Autonomous cars are in some ways safer than human-powered vehicles simply because they lack human imperfections. Because they are "immune from road rage, tiredness and carelessness," autonomous cars do have the potential to be safer than human drivers (Harris). Autonomous cars possess "superhuman senses and reaction speed, thanks to its…

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Harris, Mark. "FBI Warns Driverless Cars Could Be Used as Lethal Weapons." The Guardian. 16 July, 2014. Retrieved online: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/16/google-fbi-driverless-cars-leathal-weapons-autonomous

Lin, Patrick. "The Ethics of Autonomous Cars." The Atlantic. 8 Oct, 2013. Retrieved online: http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/the-ethics-of-autonomous-cars/280360/

Sofge, Erik. "The Mathematics of Murder: Should a Robot Sacrifice Your Life to Save Two?" Popular Science. 12 May, 2014. Retrieved online: http://www.popsci.com/blog-network/zero-moment/mathematics-murder-should-robot-sacrifice-your-life-save-two?dom=PSC&loc=slider&lnk=2&con=mathematics-of-murder
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Against Self-Driving Cars
Words: 1952 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Introduction Brief overview of the advent of self-driving cars. Introduction to the debate surrounding their safety, ethics, and impact on society. Body Safety Concerns Statistics on accidents involving self-driving cars. Comparison with human-driven vehicle safety records. Ethical and Legal Implications Decision-making in unavoidable accidents. Liability in accidents involving self-driving cars. Job Displacement Impact on the transportation industry and employment. Economic implications for professional drivers. Privacy and Data Security Concerns over data collection and surveillance. Vulnerability to hacking and cyber-attacks. Societal Impact and Accessibility Changes to urban landscapes

Sociological Theories Sociology of Gender
Words: 1087 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

Sociology and Feminist Theories on Gender Studies Postmodern Feminism in "Cherrie Moraga and Chicana Lesbianism" In the article entitled, "Cherrie Moraga and Chicana Lesbianism," author Tomas Almaguer analyzes and studies the dynamics behind Moraga's feminist reading of the Chicano culture and society that she originated from. In the article, Almaguer focuses on three elements that influenced Moraga's social reality as she was growing up: the powerful effect of the Chicano culture, patriarchal

Architecture and Urban Transformation
Words: 1802 Length: 7 Document Type: Thesis

Architecture and Urban Transformation: Revisioning The objective of this research is to examine the central of Footscray and specifically to posed specific questions including whether there is a discernable orderly underlying the structure of the city and how does one ready the city, decipher the complexities of the city and how does that reading inform the production of architecture? Also addressed in this study are the questions of how could the

Object Relation, Attachment Theories, And
Words: 26278 Length: 90 Document Type: Dissertation

S., experts estimate the genuine number of incidents of abuse and neglect ranges three times higher than reported. (National Child Abuse Statistics, 2006) in light of these critical contemporary concerns for youth, this researcher chose to document the application of Object Relation, Attachment Theories, and Self-Psychology to clinical practice, specifically focusing on a patient who experienced abuse when a child. Consequently, this researcher contends this clinical case study dissertation proves

Clinical Psychology
Words: 60005 Length: 200 Document Type: Dissertation

Clinical Psychology Dissertation - Dream Content as a Therapeutic Approach: Ego Gratification vs. Repressed Feelings An Abstract of a Dissertation Dream Content as a Therapeutic Approach: Ego Gratification vs. Repressed Feelings This study sets out to determine how dreams can be used in a therapeutic environment to discuss feelings from a dream, and how the therapist should engage the patient to discuss them to reveal the relevance of those feelings, in their present,

Historiography of East Asia: The
Words: 3944 Length: 12 Document Type: Term Paper

These gang-related activities had a negative effect on the very industries on which Macau depended for much of its economic activity, and tourism dropped by almost 10% in 1998 (Kurtlantzick 1). A Macanese resident summed up the situation thusly: "I still won't walk around at night . . . And every sound makes me think of a gunshot" (quoted in Kurtlanzick at 1). In an interview with Macao's present

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now