Autonomous cars with ‘social sensitivity’ cut threat to road users, study finds

A study published in the US Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that training autonomous vehicles (AVs) to respond with “social sensitivity” can significantly reduce injuries during road accidents, particularly for vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians. The research indicates that AVs, by integrating human-like ethical decision-making, could reduce overall harm by 26.3% and improve safety outcomes in crash scenarios. Experts advocate for programming AVs to ensure fair risk distribution and protect vulnerable users, addressing the growing ethical considerations of autonomous driving.