The risk ethics of autonomous vehicles: a continuous trolley problem in regular road traffic

TL;DR

This paper explores the ethical considerations of autonomous vehicles distributing risk in regular traffic, revealing that people's preferences often differ from simple collision avoidance and may be influenced by social risk considerations.

Contribution

It introduces a new perspective on AV ethics by focusing on risk distribution in everyday traffic, supported by empirical survey data from Germany.

Findings

Participants' preferences deviate from collision avoidance heuristics.

People are willing to take risks for others, indicating social risk considerations.

The social dilemma of AVs may be reduced when risk is involved.

Abstract

Is the ethics of autonomous vehicles (AVs) restricted to weighing lives in unavoidable accidents? We argue that AVs distribute risks between road users in regular traffic situations, either explicitly or implicitly. This distribution of risks raises ethically relevant questions that cannot be evaded by simple heuristics such as "hitting the brakes." Using an interactive, graphical representation of different traffic situations, we measured participants' preferences on driving maneuvers of AVs in a representative survey in Germany. Our participants' preferences deviated significantly from mere collision avoidance. Interestingly, our participants were willing to take risks themselves for the benefit of other road users suggesting that the social dilemma of AVs may lessen in a context of risk.