Transportation

Futuramas of the present: the "driver problem" in the autonomous vehicle sociotechnical imaginary

R. Braun and R. Randell

Explore the intriguing notions surrounding autonomous vehicles as Robert Braun and Richard Randell delve into the myth that 90% of road accidents stem from 'driver error.' Their research reveals how this claim is not just a statistical fact but a construct that reinforces existing transportation paradigms. Discover how this imaginary may not lead to the transformative change we expect.

00:00

Playback language: English

Index

Abstract

This paper examines the sociotechnical imaginary surrounding autonomous vehicles, focusing on the claim that they will significantly reduce road accidents due to the assumption that 90% of crashes are caused by "driver error." The authors argue that this statistic is a technologically deterministic construct originating in road safety research methodologies, not an objective fact. They contend that the autonomous vehicle imaginary, rather than representing a radical transformation, perpetuates the existing automobility regime, with its inherent risks and negative externalities.

Publisher

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

Published On

Dec 02, 2020

Authors

Robert Braun, Richard Randell

Related Publications

Explore these studies to deepen your understanding of the subject.

Transportation

AV futures or futures with AVs? Bridging sociotechnical imaginaries and a multi-level perspective of autonomous vehicle visualisations in praxis

R. Martin

Sociology

Non-coresident family as a driver of migration change in a crisis: the case of the COVID-19 pandemic

U. Kan, J. Mcleod, et al.

Humanities

From the past to the present: the enduring impact of Hukum Kanun Pahang (Pahang Laws) in Malaysian society

N. Muslim, A. F. Mohamed, et al.

Economics

Quantitative evidence of the community of shared future for mankind as a driver of sustainable development in human society

Z. Cai and W. Zhang

Listen, Learn & Level Up

Over 10,000 hours of research content in 25+ fields, available in 12+ languages.

No more digging through PDFs, just hit play and absorb the world's latest research in your language, on your time.

listen to research audio papers with researchbunny