Innovative Self Driving Cars: Who Holds Responsibility

Introduction

In this short paper about self-driving cars, I argue that the responsibility lies with the inventors of these vehicles to ensure the safety of people on the road, except in certain cases which will be discussed below, along with supporting opinions.

Background

The most important certainty that we have is that before self-driving cars existed, human beings went through a procedure of formulating innovative ideas, which led to the final stage of invention. Human beings, in their true nature, may err, hence it usually happens that they might design algorithms, but because they are not machines, some algorithms consist of errors. The innovators of these self-driving cars promise proper data collection in these vehicles, providing quick deployment, high and deterministic performance, along with incredible efficiency in terms of application, controlling, packet processing, and signal processing, all through artificial intelligence. Despite these promises, the fact remains that self-driving cars are a result of human input and thus cannot be 100% safe.

Responsibility and Accountability

The innovators of self-driving cars, or the computer engineers behind their invention, must be held responsible as they are the ones promising the safety of their products. For example, just as the owner of a food brand that unintentionally caused food poisoning is held accountable in society, so should the computer engineer who assembled self-driving cars. While self-driving cars have the potential to dramatically reduce 90% of all crashes resulting from driver error, the remaining 10% must be accounted for, especially if it involves a human life. Human life is of great value and possesses human rights that need to be always respected. Legislation has put measures in place to punish violations against these rights. Therefore, if self-driving cars injure or kill a human being, there must be a party accountable for the incident. Exceptions arise in cases where human beings have been negligent, such as when the party being hit by the car was reckless, drunk, and at fault, or when the party operating the self-driving car neglected precautions that must be followed prior to operating the vehicle.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite their capabilities, self-driving cars require proper route planning, decision-making, motion planning, and vehicle control on roads shared with other vehicles—whether human-centered, self-driving human-assisted, or fully autonomous—and pedestrians. Until such systems are established properly, the responsibility will lie with the innovators and inventors, excluding cases of exceptions. It is crucial to develop comprehensive legal frameworks and technological advancements to address these challenges effectively (Smith, 2021; Johnson, 2020).

Conclusion

In conclusion, while self-driving cars represent a significant technological advancement with the potential to transform transportation, it is essential to ensure their safety and reliability. The responsibility for this lies primarily with the inventors and engineers, except in cases where human negligence is evident. As the technology evolves, it will be important to continually assess and adapt the legal and ethical frameworks governing self-driving cars to protect human lives and rights.

References

• Johnson, M. (2020). The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles. New York: Tech Press.
• Smith, J. (2021). Legal Challenges in the Age of Self-Driving Cars. Boston: Legal Insights Publishing.