In a world as fast-paced as ours, it is a given that there are advancements in new technologies to help make our lives easier. With the rise of artificial intelligence, our civilization is undergoing another massive change in how we communicate and interact with the world around us. Like the industrial revolution in the late 18th to mid-19th century, artificial intelligence has revolutionized our civilization which has digitized many aspects of our everyday lives, with the potential to replace manual cars with self-driving cars. Autonomous vehicles have been a popular topic in the field as the race to commercialize them becomes rampant. However, like with other technological advancements, it is vital to consider the ethical issues concerning autonomous vehicles. Various ethical questions arise as the future of autonomous vehicles turns from a mere technological fantasy to a reality. This study will explore and seek to understand the underlying fundamental ethical questions of autonomous vehicles and analyze the best way to make these vehicles ethical. The ethics of AI is an important topic to discuss as technology becomes more fluid and modernized with self-learning algorithms. It will analyze the extent of the influence of technology in our lives before it makes unethical decisions. Fundamentally, this study examines how engineers can ensure that the machines they create are ethical and will not malfunction. This research will investigate these concepts in depth and analyze the underlying factors that make up society and the decision-making process of AI.

Keywords: Autonomous vehicles, ethics, global advancements, engineering, artificial intelligence, algorithms, technology

Author: Idika Poudel
Colonel By Secondary School, Ottawa, Canada