The status quo is insane, IMO. I call our mixed ped/car transportation networks the "mayhem lottery" (As in, every time you go out there you're taking a chance that you won't come back with all your limbs, or your life.) It was years ago, but a neighbors son was crossing the street in a crosswalk when someone ran a stop sign and knocked him fifty feet. I've twice seen little old ladies lying dead in the street from hit and run drivers.
Making bad imitations of KITT from Knight Rider is not the solution here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_calming is cheaper and easier, for example.
Look I want robot cars, okay? I even want them ASAP.
As soon as possible without testing robots on public ways.
Build a fake city, populate it with people who have signed waivers, test there.
Sure it's expensive but at least you don't risk killing more innocent people with your experimental car-shaped robots.
I mean, what if I built a television with H.E.M? (Human Eradication Mode)
If it escapes and kills someone, isn't that my fault?
Maybe if I put a human in there, give her a phone to distract her, and call her "Safety Driver", I can deflect any blame for my robot's killing spree onto her and get away with murder scott free! It's the perfect crime!
Okay, sorry, I got a little carried away there. But I hope my point is clear: Safety: Yes. Robot Cars: also yes, but obeying the First Law of Robotics. Testing robots cars on innocent people: hard no.
