A moral decision-making study of autonomous vehicles: Expertise predicts a preference for algorithms in dilemmas

Research has identified some individual and situational factors that relate to the public's preference for autonomous vehicles (AVs) in moral dilemmas. The present study shows that people in the AV industry attach moral value to (and prefer to buy) AVs that prioritize passenger protection at all costs. By contrast, people outside the AV industry prefer utilitarian AVs programmed to minimize casualties, even though they are more likely to buy AVs that protect passengers. This study also shows that people are averse to random algorithms. It replicates gender differences, the effect of perspective, and the paradox between moral choice and AV purchase intention. This study contributes to the field by expanding our understanding of the factors that influence moral judgements on AVs; it also provides a reference for designing moral algorithms that govern AVs.