Do Driverless Cars Dream of Electric Sheep?

Abstract

In August 2016, Singapore introduced the first driverless taxis in the world. Such autonomous vehicles offer the prospect of safer and cheaper transportation of people and goods, but technology is racing ahead of our laws — and our morals. This short article discusses some of the regulatory challenges raised by the introduction of self-driving cars as well as some of the ethical dilemmas posed by the need to programme such vehicles to respond to emergency situations.

Keywords: Autonomous Vehicles, Driverless Cars, Self-Driving Vehicles, Law, Regulation, Traffic Law, Trolley Problem