This blog post looks at the balance between privacy protection and crime prevention in the development of driverless car technology.
A driverless car is a car that drives itself without the driver’s operation, as long as the destination is set. These driverless cars are not operated independently like current cars, but are integrated as part of the transportation system. In other words, operating as part of the transportation system means that the route is determined by a central control center using GPS, radar, etc. and the vehicle operates based on this route. This reduces the incidence of accidents because the vehicle is not being driven by a human, and it also alleviates traffic congestion. However, due to the nature of unmanned vehicles, all systems are connected, so it is possible to know where the user is going and what route they are taking. Ultimately, this leads to a privacy issue. However, discussions related to driverless cars are mainly focused on issues such as law, insurance, and ethics, and privacy issues are not being treated as a major issue. However, the issue of privacy infringement can be seen as an important issue that requires deep reflection and countermeasures.
As mentioned earlier, the nature of unmanned vehicles makes it inevitable to collect information about users. However, there is also a positive view of this information collection. For example, it is helpful in preventing crimes and tracking and investigating criminals using artificial intelligence. This perspective is called “intelligent robot technology and criminal policy,” and the use of unmanned vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) is mentioned as a major example.
However, the operation of unmanned vehicles may infringe on the privacy of an unspecified number of people. In particular, Google, which is currently leading the development of unmanned vehicles, is likely to collect a lot of personal information, such as where users go, how often, and where they are located. Even if Google’s collection of information is unavoidable, if the government uses it to prevent crime, the privacy of innocent people unrelated to crime may also be threatened. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the user information collected in this way could be exploited for criminal purposes. Considering the case of a former NSA hacker manipulating an unmanned vehicle, we cannot ignore the fact that this could actually happen. Unmanned vehicles could make criminal investigations more efficient and reduce crime rates, but the risks that could arise in the process are quite high.
This issue can be understood from two perspectives: security and privacy. Those who argue that we should give up our privacy for security say that if we have nothing to hide, we have nothing to fear. However, the logic that it is okay for everything about an individual to be monitored even if they have done nothing wrong is flawed. In a society where privacy is not guaranteed, personal information is excessively exposed under the pretext of security, preventing individuals from freely enjoying their lives. In other words, individuals are forced to follow unspoken orders in order to be aware of others and meet their expectations, in a situation where all their actions are being monitored by a third party. In the end, they end up acting in accordance with the expectations of others. This problem is well illustrated in Franz Kafka’s novel The Trial. In the novel, the power of the court system subjugates people, and this subjugation renders individuals powerless, ultimately leading people to a state of absolute obedience. Of course, the novel presents an extreme conclusion on the issues of security and privacy, but it is clear that if privacy is not protected, people cannot freely make decisions and take action.
Even if the government does not use the information on driverless cars and the companies retain it in their systems, problems can arise. First, the risk of personal information leakage increases. Currently, many incidents are occurring due to the carelessness of the person in charge or malicious leakage by internal employees at companies such as credit card companies, and this is causing anxiety among the public. Regardless of the leakage route, most of these incidents are caused by poor information management at companies. There is no guarantee that there will be no such leakage incidents in the future when driverless cars become commercialized. On the contrary, a situation may arise in which a larger amount of personal information is leaked, and users are unable to ensure their safety. Therefore, it is considered wrong for companies to collect information. The issue of companies collecting information is actually included in the guidelines for driverless cars published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These guidelines emphasize the establishment of a process that minimizes security risks.
Ultimately, it is considered most desirable for both the government and companies to retain the minimum amount of information obtained from the operation of unmanned vehicles. While the government may be provided with information related to criminals for security purposes, it should not collect the driving information of all users to reduce the occurrence of crimes. If information on unmanned vehicles is accessed for unavoidable reasons, such as criminal investigations, it should be operated in a similar manner to the current CCTV operation method. In other words, only records that meet the purpose should be stored and made accessible, and records should be kept of who accessed what and when. Access to information should be completely restricted unless it is a special case.
As technology advances, our lives become more convenient, but we need to develop corresponding measures as well. These measures can be technological solutions through the development of new technologies or legal measures created through discussions. The same is true for driverless cars. Driverless cars offer many benefits, such as reducing the accident rate and alleviating traffic congestion, but due to the nature of all systems being connected, they can cause privacy-related issues. While these characteristics can help prevent crime, the government and companies holding vast amounts of user information have more negative aspects. Therefore, before actively promoting the use of driverless cars, we should think more deeply about privacy issues and appropriately prepare technical and legal countermeasures.
