Autonomous driving: Algorithm address ethical issues

Autonomous driving: New algorithm to address ethical issues

Before autonomous driving vehicles can be on the roads across the board, it is not just the technical implementation that needs to be accomplished. Ethical issues also play an important role in the development of algorithms. For example, the software must be able to deal with unpredictable situations and make the necessary decisions in the event of an impending accident.
Scientists at TU Munich have now developed an ethical algorithm for the first time that shares risk fairly.

Previous approaches dealt with critical situations on the road only with a small number of possible maneuvers – in case of doubt, the vehicle simply stopped.

Example
An autonomous vehicle wants to overtake a bicycle, and a truck is approaching in the opposite lane. All available data about the surroundings and the individual participants are now consulted. Can the bike be overtaken without driving into the oncoming lane and at the same time keeping enough distance from the bike? What is the risk for which vehicle and what risk do these vehicles pose for oneself? When in doubt, the autonomous vehicle with the new software will always wait until the risk is acceptable to everyone. Aggressive maneuvers are avoided, and at the same time the autonomous vehicle does not fall into a state of shock and brake abruptly. Yes and no do not play a role, a weighing takes place that includes many options.

The scientists emphasize that even algorithms that...