German Auto Firms Face Roadblock In Testing Driverless Car Software

An anonymous reader writes As nations compete to build the first operational autonomous car, German auto-manufacturers fear that current domestic laws limit their efforts to test the appropriate software for self-driving vehicles on public roads. German carmakers are concerned that these roadblocks are allowing U.S. competitors, such as Google, to race ahead in their development of software designed to react effectively when placed in real-life traffic scenarios. Car software developers are particularly struggling to deal with the ethical challenges often raised on the road. For example when faced with the decision to crash into a pedestrian or another vehicle carrying a family, it would be a challenge for a self-driving car to follow the same moral reasoning a human would in the situation. 'Technologically we can do fully automated self-driving, but the ethical framework is missing,' said Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn.

Comments

That ethical challenge is nil

[aepervius]

Those made up example with the family van and the walker are laughable. Firstly out of my experience you do not have time while being in an accident to think that far as to check & see the family van is full of children. You steer , brake, and do as much as you can to avoid the walker. And the van. Secondly you really think there is even a concurrence ? The walker will get the full hit of the kinetic energy in his body. The van will absorb part of it in its structure. What sort of SICK FUCK would hit the walker rather than the van because there are children in the van ? There is no photo finish : You steer to avoid all, and if you cannot, you try to hit the target which will get the less physical damage from your damn car *if you can think that fast*. Does not matter if the walker is an old 99 guys and the van full of the brim of puppies and babies. I expect any automated car to make the same damn calculation : between hitting a car and a walker, go for the car. Hit the one with the most protection.