Autonomous Vehicle Ethics. The Trolley Problem and Beyond

0562077 - ÚSP 2023 RIV US eng M - Monography Chapter
Černý, David
Autonomous Vehicles, the Badness of Death, and Discriminations.
Autonomous Vehicle Ethics. The Trolley Problem and Beyond. New York: Oxford University Press, 2022 - (Jenkins, R.; Černý, D.; Hříbek, T.), s. 20-40. ISBN 978-0-19-763919-1
R&D Projects: GA TA ČR(CZ) TL01000467
Institutional support: RVO:68378122
Keywords : autonomous vehicles * discrimination * death * ethics * badness of death * deprivation * trolley-like scenarios
OECD category: Law

This chapter is dedicated to a specific topic concerning autonomous vehicles and their decision-making processes in trolley-like situations, where harm reduction is at stake. The main question at hand is whether the use of age as a criterion for decision-making constitutes a case of age discrimination. This inquiry is divided into three key parts. The first part delves into the concept of discrimination, scrutinizing it in detail, and providing a precise definition of this complex notion. The second part deals explicitly with the issue of the badness of death, exploring the deprivation conception of the badness of death, analyzing it, and offering a defense against possible objections. Through this analysis, the chapter ultimately concludes that age serves as an indicator of the badness of death, with younger individuals experiencing a greater harm from death than their older counterparts. The final section applies the foregoing conclusions, along with the definition of discrimination, to the context of autonomous vehicle decision-making. Based on this investigation, the chapter concludes that differentiation based on age is not necessarily an instance of discrimination. In sum, the chapter provides a thorough examination of the question of whether using age as a criterion for decision-making by autonomous vehicles in trolley-like situations would constitute age discrimination. By drawing on a detailed analysis of the concept of discrimination, the problem of the badness of death, and the relationship between age and harm, this chapter provides a nuanced and insightful analysis of this crucial topic.

Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0334497