Form Ethical Opinions in Writing: Self-Driving Cars & Accident Ethics

Aligned to standards W.7.7: Conduct a short research project, W.7.9: Write a text analysis

The technology of driverless cars is here. By 2020, it’s predicted that 10 million self-driving cars will be on the roads. As some of us welcome what once seemed to be a sci-fi fantasy, others warn of the ethical complexities that will accompany this technology. In the event of an imminent collision, how will the automated vehicle choose what (or whom) to hit?

We’re featuring a mini-project that asks students to explore the various perspectives on this timely and contentious issue. Students will formulate their opinions and compare their points of view before and after the project. Aligned to state standards and designed to be rigorous, this project plan helps students learn to argue their case and develop rules of operation that will ensure safety down the road.

The complete project plan is available here for download in Word or PDF format.

Here’s an overview of activities you’ll find in the project plan:

• Students will explore the topic of self-driving cars via text and multimedia.
• Students will partner with their classmates to read accident scenarios and choose the most desirable outcome.
• Students will engage with classmates to design ethical rules for engineers to follow when programming self-driving cars.

The detailed project plan/packet on Goalbook includes:

Engaging Hook — Students are introduced to the topic by an animated video clip on the ethical dilemmas of self-driving cars

Scavenger Hunt — Students will survey their classmates’ opinions that are similar and different from their own

Rules for Operation — At the end of the project, students will write up rules of operation that describe how a driverless car should behave in different scenarios.

The complete project plan is available here for download in Word or PDF format.