Ethical Guidelines

This page offers pointers to recent key publications regarding automated driving ethics.

Ethics with regards to automated driving research and development touches many topics. From a pilot project perspective, at least:

Test data management and users’ privacy

Participant introduction and informed consent

Measures to minimize risks for everyone involved (safety training and plans, risk assessment)

Procedures in case of accidents

National ethical approval processes for starting tests

Comprehensive technical evaluation and societal impact assessment.

From a system developer’s perspective, for example:

Transparent communication about systems’ functioning and capabilities

Data privacy

Comprehensive safety testing and participation into creating a safety culture

Mathematical interpretation of traffic legislation (what is a “safe gap”) and creating safety logic

Taking vulnerable road users and even unlikely accidents into account

Preventing unsafe use

Accessibility and equality, avoiding discrimination.

We recommend to start from these materials:

• Horizon 2020 Commission Expert Group to advise on specific ethical issues raised by driverless mobility (E03659). Ethics of Connected and Automated Vehicles: recommendations on road safety, privacy, fairness, explainability and responsibility. 2020.
• AI High Level Expert Group. Ethics guidelines for trustworthy AI. B-1049 Brussels, 2019.
• Di Fabio, U., M. Broy, and R. J. Brüngger. Ethics Commission. Automated and Connected Driving. Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure of the Federal Republic of Germany, 2017.
• General Data Protection Regulation

Test organisers find related materials from FESTA and the Data Sharing Framework, Materials Toolkit.