The Ethical Dimensions of Autonomous Electric Vehicles – Balancing Safety and Moral Dilemmas

Automated driving systems can be unpredictable and, even on autopilot, they still require efficient monitoring by a driver in order to avoid safety issues.  Although autonomous electric vehicles are revolutionizing transportation, they can also pose significant safety risks and ethical dilemmas. From the morality behind the algorithms used to calculate safety in self-driving cars to the sustainability of battery manufacture for all types of electric vehicles, their performance and production have raised a number of complex socio-technical issues. In comparison to the unacceptable risks of manual driving, however, autonomous vehicles are already far safer. By further refining decision-making AI, reinforcing vulnerable cybersecurity systems and boosting the sustainability of vehicle manufacture, potential safety and moral dilemmas of autonomous electric vehicles can be securely offset in the future.

Algorithmic Accountability to Increase Trust

Safety is a top priority for drivers, who naturally hope to avoid road accidents. While being legally prepared for a car accident is important, drivers also prioritize vehicles that offer outstanding protection in the event of a collision. This concern is especially evident when they are considering the purchase of a new electric vehicle, where high safety standards are often a key factor in their decision-making process. As well as being equipped with advanced safety features, the weight of the battery lowers the center of gravity in an electric vehicle, making it more stable on the road and reducing the risk of rollover. In an autonomous electric vehicle however, it is also the design of the car’s decision-making algorithms that determine levels of safety for the driver and other road users. AI systems are likely to be placed in morally ambiguous situations such as where they are required to operate without bias, including multi-vehicle accidents where the prioritizing of individual lives may need to be decided.  According to a survey by AAA, two thirds of Americans are still afraid of self-driving cars so it is essential to address these safety, ethical and liability issues in order to reassure drivers and realize the full potential of automated vehicles. Developing the decision-making processes of automated vehicles with greater input from road users could help to create more morally acceptable algorithms, ensure transparency and gain public trust.

Implementing Robust Cybersecurity to Remove Vulnerabilities

One of the principal advantages of autonomous electric vehicles is the digitization of their operating systems. Sensors and other advanced technologies inform real-time decisions, ensuring safe navigation, optimal route choices and the avoidance of collisions. However, this heavy reliance on data communication through cellular networks and internet connectivity can also leave autonomous cars vulnerable to cyberattacks. If malicious actors are able to hack into the operating system, they could tamper with sensors, access location data, or even take complete control of a vehicle. This could lead to accidents and pose considerable risk to drivers and other road users. To address this issue any advanced technologies must be matched with robust cybersecurity measures in order to protect autonomous vehicles from attack. A comprehensive safeguarding of the operating systems and network connections of autonomous electric vehicles can be enhanced through the implementation of geographic information systems (GIS) which can be used to monitor the vehicle to avoid any mishaps and accidents.

Questioning the Sustainability of Electric Vehicle Batteries

As well as the moral and safety issues inherent in autonomous vehicles, all electric vehicles raise the question of sustainability and whether they are as beneficial to the environment as they claim to be. While electric vehicles produce fewer harmful emissions, they still often rely on fossil fuel sources for charging and the manufacturing process of lithium-based batteries is energy-intensive and creates its own greenhouse gasses. As well as increasing the use of clean and renewable energy sources for charging electric vehicles, replacing lithium with a more commonplace and affordable element such as sodium could help to create a cleaner and more environmentally-friendly battery.

While self-driving electric cars have the potential to completely change the nature of road travel, they undoubtedly present potential safety risks, ethical dilemmas over decision-making and questions over their sustainability. Some of the ways in which these issues could be addressed include asking the public for input in the formation of ethical algorithms, ensuring cybersecurity is updated to match advancing technology and the inclusion of more sustainable elements and recyclable components of electric vehicle batteries.