Introduction

Thesis:

More developments and improvements need to be made to automation technology in vehicles (self-driving cars) for them to fully be efficient for federal laws and engineering standards.

Introduction:

The first practical vehicle with a gasoline powered engine, that are like vehicles today, was invented by Karl Benz in Germany in 1886. Vehicles were later innovated further by car companies that the world knows today. Automobile technology has developed immensely and is still continuously improving. A key development that has shocked the world is the introduction of automation vehicles, also known as self-driving technology, by Google in 2009 (Goodall, 2016, p.38). With Google introducing the world to the technology, many companies, such as Tesla, Ford, Volvo, Toyota, etc., are constantly implementing the technology into their products. The controversy of the technology is if the engineering of the vehicles follows the standards set by federal policymakers and the engineering code of ethics to ensure that the public’s safety is one of the top priorities. As engineers of developing the technology, they must follow a set of ethical codes established by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). Engineers define ethics as “the discipline dealing with what is good and bad, right and wrong, and with moral duty and obligation”, which then leads into the established code of ethics: ^1. Accept responsibility in making decisions consistent with the safety, health, and welfare of the public, and promptly disclose factors that might endanger the public or the environment; ^2. Improve the understanding of technology; its appropriated application, and potential consequences; ^3. Maintain and improve our technical competence and to undertake technological tasks for others only if qualified by training or experience; ⁴ Be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data (NSPE.org). More developments and improvements need to be made to automation technology in vehicles (self-driving cars) for them to fully be efficient for federal laws and engineering standards.