Responsible Innovation 2.0. Ethical Guidelines for Technology Development in the Area of Autonomous Driving

How can an ethical perspective improve the models of technical development at car manufacturers in such a way that autonomous driving also becomes safer and better?

Many of the recent disruptive changes in society are primarily driven by advancing technological developments. Artificial intelligence (AI) is probably the most intensively discussed topic at the moment, having caused a worldwide sensation with the publication of ChatGPT in November 2022, for example.

Since then, a real trend has emerged around AI innovations, which is permeating society. However, in addition to the positive potential, the negative side of this development is also rightly viewed with concern. So-called deepfakes (images and videos generated by AI) create false statements and are used specifically for political manipulation, among other things.

As a result, there is a need for mechanisms to control or, more importantly, to control the use of such innovative technologies. The EU recently passed the EU AI Act for the field of AI, which sets limits for the use of AI, particularly from a legal and ethical perspective.