Tuesday, May 08, 2018

So Basically Murder

I've long said I don't think "safety" is really the concern about self-driving cars in that if they work in a useful way they'll be safe, but that view didn't address the "actually they don't work but they're on the streets anyway" issue.


Uber has concluded the likely reason why one of its self-driving cars fatally struck a pedestrian earlier this year, according to tech outlet The Information. The car’s software recognized the victim, Elaine Herzberg, standing in the middle of the road, but decided it didn’t need to react right away, the outlet reported, citing two unnamed people briefed on the matter.

This isn't some trolley problem wank, this is just what happens when your concept doesn't work. You have to dial down the safety provisions because otherwise your dumb car is going to be bad. I mean bad in the sense of not being very useful. Killing people is, also, too, bad.