Risks in Autonomous Vehicle Technology

Quiz

Autonomous vehicles or self-driving cars are revolutionizing the transportation industry by enhancing efficiency, safety, and convenience. However, the autonomous vehicle technology also introduces new risks that has to be considered and managed carefully. The major risks of autonomous vehicle technology are related to safety and cybersecurity.

In this chapter, we will learn about the main risks associated with the autonomous vehicle technology.

Safety Risks

Autonomous vehicles are completely dependent on sophisticated technology, sensors, camera, radar, and artificial intelligence for their self-driving operation. A failure in any of these components can lead to dangerous situations like unable to detect obstacles, road signs, traffic signals, pedestrians, etc. This situation can pose serious safety risks.

The following are some examples of safety risks associated with autonomous vehicles −

Sensor Malfunctioning − Autonomous vehicles use a wide range of advanced sensors like LiDAR, RADAR, cameras, etc. to monitor and understand their surroundings. If any of these sensors fail or malfunction, then the vehicle may become unable to identify specific objects and it can make incorrect decisions.
Unexpected Autopilot Function − Sometimes, autonomous vehicles can perform unexpected autopilot function that can lead to dangerous situations, if the driver is not ready to take the control.
Misinterpretation of Traffic Pattern − Autonomous vehicles use traffic pattern recognition to safely navigate the vehicle on roads and make driving decisions. But they can sometimes misinterpret the traffic pattern due to temporary changes in the infrastructure and can pose safety risks.

All these safety risks in autonomous vehicles can be minimized through −

Continuous testing and upgradation of autonomous driving algorithms.
Implementing rigorous safety standards.
Developing fail-safe systems to stop autonomous vehicles safely, if errors occur.

Risks of Cybersecurity Threats

Autonomous vehicles are connected to communication networks, other vehicles, cloud servers, and infrastructure components. Also, these vehicles use a huge amount of data to perform driving autonomously. This data and connectivity make the autonomous vehicles vulnerable to cyber threats and hacking. Cyber criminals may attempt to hack these vehicles to get access to its controls and data.

Some of the potential cybersecurity risks associated with the autonomous vehicles are explained below −

Hijacking − Hackers can try to access and control the critical systems of an autonomous vehicle. They can perform unsafe braking, acceleration, and steering to put the passengers and other vehicles or pedestrians on the roads at a serious risk.
Sensitive Data Theft − Autonomous vehicles collect and store sensitive data like location history, user preferences, driving habits, traffic rules, etc. Cyber criminals can steal this data and use it for various purposes like identity theft, plan illegal activities, track individuals, and more.
Vehicle-to-Everything Communication Disruption − As we know, vehicle-to-everything communication is the backbone of safe and reliable operation of autonomous vehicles. It involves the communication of autonomous vehicles with other vehicles, cloud servers, and infrastructure components. Cyber criminals can disrupt this communication and connectivity that can lead to confusion on roads and may cause unsafe driving behavior and serious accidents.

We can follow the practices given below to secure the autonomous vehicles from cybersecurity threats −

Implementing multiple layers of security like encryption, authentication, etc.
Regularly updating software.
Developing resilient cybersecurity systems against potential risks.

Radiation Exposure Risks

Autonomous vehicles use a large number of sensors and other electronic devices, all these components emit a significant amount of electromagnetic radiation for communication and connectivity with each other. However, electromagnetic radiation is considered safe below a certain level, but a prolonged exposure to it can pose many health concerns to passengers.

The following are some common health risks associated with autonomous vehicles due to electromagnetic radiation −

Headache and Migraine − A prolonged exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by autonomous vehicle can cause headache and migraine to some individuals.
Sleep Disorder − An extended exposure to electromagnetic radiation can also impact the sleep cycle and may cause insomnia.
Long-Term Effects − According to some studies, it is suggested that an extended exposure to electromagnetic radiation can cause issues like anxiety, fatigue, cognitive disability, etc.

Autonomous vehicle manufacturers could try to minimize the radiation exposure by following these practices −

Introducing shielding technologies
Regulating sources of electromagnetic radiation
Spreading awareness of radiation exposure risks
Adopting safe vehicle designs
Investing in studies and testing for long-term impacts of radiation on health, etc.

Battery Failure Risks

Autonomous vehicles are dependent on rechargeable batteries for receiving power. Most autonomous vehicles use lithium-ion batteries, which are quite powerful and reliable due to mature technology. However, if these batteries get damaged by any reason, then they become unstable. These batteries are also subjected to risk of thermal runway, which is an undesirable condition in which the battery starts releasing uncontrollable energy due to overheating. This kind of battery failures can cause fires and explosions in the vehicle.

Some of the key battery-related risks associated with autonomous vehicles are listed here −

Fire and Explosion Hazards − Damaged batteries are prone to catch fires, which are highly challenging to control and may cause explosions. These battery explosions can also send broken parts from the vehicle at high speeds, which can injure nearby people.
Emission of Toxic Gases − Overheated li-ion batteries release toxic gases like carbon monoxide, hydrogen fluoride, etc. These gases can pose serious health issues to passengers travelling in autonomous vehicles.

The following are some practices that automakers can follow to address battery-related risks in autonomous vehicles −

Prepare safe battery designs
Provide proper cooling systems to reduce the risk of thermal runaway
Use fire-resistant material for making batteries, etc.

Hardware Failure Risks

In autonomous vehicles, the risks are sometimes posed due to failure of hardware components like braking system, steering control, radar, LiDAR, etc. These failures make the vehicle unable to navigate and respond to the surroundings and obstacles. They can lead to collisions with other vehicles and accidents.

To reduce hardware failure risks, the vehicles must equip with robust hardware components and go under regular maintenance checks. Systems like real-time diagnostic tools can also be integrated into the autonomous vehicles to detect and respond to hardware related issues before their actual failure.

Ethical Guidance Risks

Autonomous vehicles are dependent on artificial intelligence for making decisions. It arises a question that how can the vehicle make right decisions to ensure public safety and fairness, where human judgement is required.

For example, consider an unavoidable road accident condition. Now, in this situation, how will the autonomous vehicle decide whom to protect first between its passengers or other road users.

Conclusion

In conclusion, autonomous vehicles must be engineered well to avoid all these risks and issues to make the autonomous driving safer and meet the regulatory standards. Lets move to the next chapter and learn about the key Applications of Autonomous Vehicles.

Print Page