Mercedes tackles the self-driving car dilemma As self-driving vehicles begin testing around the world, driverless cars are on the verge of transforming everything from the way roads look to how fast vehicles travel. Transportation and urban design experts anticipate fewer parking lots, more green spaces, and a remaking of streets. Recently, news that self-driving Mercedes will be programmed to save drivers, not people they hit, has reignited an ethical debate over the morality of programming a car?s algorithms. If a driverless car is about to hit a pedestrian or cyclist, who?s life should be prioritized: the car?s occupants or the people they hit"
Car and Driver sparked the latest conversation with an article that stated that Mercedes-Benz would program its self-driving cars to save the people inside the car?every time. The October 7 piece quotes Chistoph von Hugo, the automaker?s manager of driver assistance systems and active safety. According to C and D, Hugo said in an interview, "If you know you can save at least one person, at least save that one. Save the one in the car. If all you know for sure is that one death can be prevented, then that?s your first priority." Hugo?s comments resulted in a flurry of attention, especially because they address a modern day version of the infamous Trolley Problem. This thought experiment asks a person which is preferable when someone stands at a railway switch, watching a train run out of control: let five peop...