ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to empirically examine the moral decision-making capacity of self-driving cars. Building my argument by drawing on data collected from the AUVSI, Black & Veatch, Capgemini Research Institute, Ipsos/GenPop, Perkins Coie, Pew Research Center, Statista, I performed analyses and made estimates regarding how much consumers agree or disagree that self-driving cars will make driving more relaxing/safer/faster/easier/friendlier to the environment/more economical/more enjoyable/more comfortable, the most attractive technologies for investment for autonomous vehicles over the next five years (5G technology/vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication technology/advanced driver assistance systems/precision mapping platforms and location technology/machine learning and driving data analysis/connectivity and infotainment features), and % of U.S. adults who say the number of people killed or injured in traffic accidents will increase/decrease/stay about the same if driverless vehicles become widespread. The structural equation modeling technique was used to test the research model.

Keywords: decision-making capacity; self-driving car; algorithm-driven sensing device

How to cite: Riegler, Carolyn (2019). “The Moral Decision-Making Capacity of Self-Driving Cars: Socially Responsible Technological Development, Algorithm-driven Sensing Devices, and Autonomous Vehicle Ethics,” Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice 11(1): 15–20. doi:10.22381/CRLSJ11120192

Received 7 March 2019 • Received in revised form 4 July 2019
Accepted 9 July 2019 • Available online 15 July 2019