The article discusses the challenges of developing self-driving car technology, particularly in regards to image recognition, decision making, and ethical dilemmas surrounding safety. The externalized costs of this technology being wrong are high, making it an especially newsworthy and controversial issue.
Once technology becomes ingrained into everyday life, it can be difficult to change because it becomes a part of the human landscape. This applies to societal, technological, and cognitive programming, and has been seen in past examples such as the integration of cars and roads into cities.
Self-driving cars require an ethical compass that considers programmed externalized costs. Their recognition technology must be advanced enough to decipher humans from shapes and determine the best course of action in life-threatening scenarios.