Driverless Cars: Balancing the rights of humans in a technology-driven age

A friend shared with me this Freakonomics Radio two-part series, "Is this the end of human driving?", and I found it gripping. I had never fully considered the perspective that driverless cars could save millions of lives by reducing the factor of human error and distraction. Are driverless cars actually safer?

And if so, is it worth the disruptive cost of significant job losses? The podcast makes several comparisons to historical challenges and changes. The second episode explores the driver unions in our very own city of Boston against the technology companies with a (perhaps) surprising ally: the disability community, who claim discrimination by human drivers.

This whole situation begs a larger conversation about how to "weigh competing and not totally reconcilable interests," and other larger questions about both the place of technology in the human world, and the place of humans in a technology-driven age.

It may be helpful to listen to the podcast or (alternatively or additionally) read this article (which should be free), but everyone is welcome whether or not you listened to the podcast of read the article.

However you get here - by driving or public transportation, or a robot driver - come for the conversation; stay for the people, food, and drink.

Cheers!