

Moral Dilemma for Google's Driverless Vehicle Control Software - xefer
http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2012/06/the-google-trolley-problem.html

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SlipperySlope
Moral dilemmas involving driverless vehicles are best solved by programming
the intelligent agent governance to simulate an ethical human driver. In this
fashion, the agent reuses the existing human-applicable laws and conventions.

To be sure, laws will have to be revised to accomodate certain super-human
powers of vehicle-controlling intelligent agents. For example, I suppose that
such agents will be much more aware of various environmental aspects due to
their mesh-networking with other vehicles, roadside features, etc.

Suppose that blind pedestrians have smartphones that mesh-network with nearby
driverless cars. Existing driving laws could then be revised to require
driverless cars to yield right of way, even if the blind pedestrian is not
holding a cane, or is not otherwise visible.

