Technology continuously produces revolutionary products. Before, instant messaging seemed impossible. But, thanks to advanced programming, people are now more connected more than ever. Before, people needed paper to store information. Now, a vast amount of data can be edited and stored on a smartphone.
Through these technological advancements, even human behavior can be imitated. Computer scientists, along with other experts, have made artificial intelligence (AI) possible. This technology is useful in the fields of medicine, commerce, and transportation. Doctors use AI in diagnoses, and business owners use this technology in predicting consumer reactions.
In the field of transportation, AI is being used to develop self-driving cars. It is, indeed, a revolutionary feat. The thought of an automobile operating itself evokes both positive and negative reactions from people. For its supporters, self-driving cars can provide efficiency and easiness. However, one of the alarming consequences of self-driving vehicles is its bias toward people of color.
How Self-Driving Cars Came to Be
Like most ground-breaking innovations, the self-operated automobiles that people witness today went through evolutions. The idea of building self-driving cars started way back in 1961. During this time, scientists focused on space explorations. An engineering graduate student at Stanford named James Adams proposed the idea of a remote-controlled moon rover. One problem they needed to address is the delay of command due to the time difference between the earth and the moon. They solved the problem by building the first-ever self-driving vehicle. The lunar rover called The Cart was equipped with cameras to aid in its self-operation.
The next breakthrough in the production of self-driving automobiles happened in 1977. A Japanese engineering laboratory named Tsukuba Mechanical was responsible for this development. They manufactured a self-operating vehicle that can recognize road markings while running at 20 miles per hour. It was made possible by two cameras attached to the car.
Cameras are not the only essential instrument in the production of self-driving cars. These vehicles need commands to self-operate. Hence, in 1987, Ernst Dickmanns, a German engineer, attached microprocessors to a sedan. These microprocessors aid in object detection. The scientist attached 60 microprocessors to detect objects in front of and behind the automobile sufficiently. The vehicle was able to focus on necessary objects on using this technology. Now, it allows self-driving cars to recognize hazardous objects and locations.
Presently, there are collaborations among universities, government, and private institutions to develop an autonomous vehicle. They are continually producing and testing self-driving cars from different companies.
Benefits of Driverless Vehicles
According to advocates of self-driving cars, there are significant benefits to this technology. First, it contributes to safer roads because autonomous cars avoid driver errors. These cars are programmed to drive safely and efficiently. In effect, companies and car owners can save money due to fewer to none crashes. Second, they can ease the difficulty experienced by people with disabilities and the elderly. Third, self-operating vehicles help their passengers to be more productive. Passengers can do tasks while in their vehicles since cars can drive themselves.
Dangers in the Road Ahead
However, there are also significant risks linked to self-driving vehicles. Critics of this technology are doubtful of the road safety that these cars can provide. They are also uncertain about self-driving cars’ effects on traffic.
One astounding risk connected to these cars is the bias they possess against people of color. Georgia Institute of Technology’s study, entitled Predictive Inequity in Object Detection, showed that people of color are more likely to get hit by a self-driving car than their white counterparts. The disparity is at 5%, and the result remained despite the controlled variables provided by the researchers. One of the controlled variables is the restricted view of pedestrians.
The study used a vast collection of pedestrian images. Researchers used the Fitzpatrick scale to classify the pedestrians in the pictures. The said scale categorizes people’s skin tones from light to dark. However, the study did not utilize the actual object detection system employed by self-driving cars on the market. They did not use the same equipment because companies would not allow them. The decision of these companies raises controversy since the safety of self-driving vehicles is a public issue.
The cars’ bias against people of color is mostly due to their creators’ prejudices. Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology claim that the object detection system is presented mainly with light-skinned individuals. Since the system is not tested with enough dark-skinned pedestrians, it did not learn to place importance on them.
What this means is that companies need to employ racial diversity in their programming of the object detection system to address this life-threatening issue. Apart from this, they should also exercise fairness in their company culture and processes. Through these measures, we can ensure the safety of all individuals, regardless of skin color.
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