[LINK] Tesla

David dlochrin at key.net.au
Mon Mar 18 10:29:16 AEDT 2019


On Sunday, 17 March 2019 17:24:36 AEDT Roger Clarke wrote:

> So check Maschmedt & Searle (2018) at:
>>https://www.kwm.com/en/au/knowledge/insights/driverless-vehicle-trial-legislation-nsw-vic-sa-20180227

Interesting...  That paper indicates the only regulation in place in Australia relates to trials of autonomous vehicles.  However anyone can buy a Tesla right now, so do they have the automated-driving functions disabled?  If not, are we relying on drivers to stay in manual mode, and what do Tesla salespeople tell potential customers?

The opening of s.4.2 of your paper at http://rogerclarke.com/EC/AIR.html#LS states:

> In-place industrial robotics, in production-lines and warehouses, is well-established. Various publications have discussed general questions of robot regulation [...]  Even such vital aspects as worker safety and employer liability appear to depend not on technology-specific laws, but on generic laws, which may or may not have been adapted to reflect the characteristics of the new technologies.

The ABC RN program "The Minefield" is a regular feature where  Waleed Aly & Scott Stephens discuss ethical issues.  Yesterday's edition was about robots, and it's well worth a listen - see https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/theminefield/

Here's a scenario from the program.  Some companies are developing realistic sex robots.  Assuming these are purely mechanical in the sense they have no consciousness, emotions, moral compass, etc., would it be right to produce one which said "no" for use by those with rape fantasies?  Would facilitating that desire with a robot increase the liklihood of rape of a human?

It's not all just technology...

Cheers,
David L.




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