Name: The ethical dilemma of self-driving cars
Uploaded: 2017-09-07T19:07:44Z
Duration: 4 min
Description: Self-driving cars are already cruising the streets today. And while these cars will ultimately be safer and cleaner than their manual counterparts, they can't completely avoid accidents altogether. How should the car be programmed if it encounters an unavoidable accident? Patrick Lin navigates the murky ethics of self-driving cars.

Patrick Lin: The ethical dilemma of self-driving cars

The ethical dilemma of self-driving cars

Self-driving cars are already cruising the streets today. And while these cars will ultimately be safer and cleaner than their manual counterparts, they can't completely avoid accidents altogether. How should the car be programmed if it encounters an unavoidable accident? Patrick Lin navigates the murky ethics of self-driving cars. 

As self-driving cars take the wheel, they face ethical dilemmas humans have rarely confronted head-on. Imagine a split-second decision: swerve into a motorcyclist or hit a falling object and risk the driver's own life. Unlike human reactions, these choices must be programmed in advance, making every accident a matter of deliberate design. The challenge is not just technical but deeply moral, reshaping responsibility and fairness on our roads.