This blog post examines the balance between privacy protection and crime prevention amid the advancement of driverless car technology.
Driverless cars are vehicles that operate autonomously without driver input once a destination is set. Unlike current cars, these driverless vehicles are integrated as part of the transportation system rather than operating independently. In other words, functioning as part of the traffic system means routes are determined by a central control center using GPS and radar, and operation is based on this. This reduces accident rates since humans aren’t directly driving the vehicles and can alleviate traffic congestion. However, due to the nature of autonomous vehicles, where all systems are interconnected, it becomes possible to track where users are going and which routes they take. Ultimately, this leads to privacy concerns. Yet discussions surrounding autonomous vehicles primarily focus on legal, insurance, and ethical issues, leaving privacy concerns largely unaddressed. However, privacy infringement is a significant matter requiring deep reflection and countermeasures.
As mentioned earlier, collecting user information is unavoidable due to the operational nature of autonomous vehicles. On the other hand, there is also a perspective that views this information collection positively. An example is its potential to aid in crime prevention, tracking criminals, and investigations through the use of artificial intelligence. This viewpoint is termed ‘Intelligent Robot Technology and Criminal Policy,’ with the use of autonomous vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) cited as key examples.
However, the operation of autonomous vehicles could potentially infringe upon the privacy of unspecified individuals. Google, currently leading autonomous vehicle development, is particularly likely to collect substantial personal data, such as where users go, how often they visit certain locations, and their frequent locations. Even if Google’s data collection is unavoidable, if the government uses this information for crime prevention, the privacy of innocent people unrelated to crime could also be threatened. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the collected user information could be misused for criminal purposes. Considering past cases where hackers with NSA backgrounds manipulated autonomous vehicles, we cannot ignore the fact that such incidents could indeed occur. While autonomous vehicles might make criminal investigations more efficient and potentially lower crime rates, the risks that could arise in the process are substantial.
This issue can be understood from two perspectives: security and privacy. Those who argue that privacy must be sacrificed for security often say that if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. However, the logic that just because one has done nothing wrong, it is acceptable for every aspect of their life to be monitored, is flawed. In a society where privacy is not guaranteed, personal information becomes excessively exposed under the guise of security, preventing individuals from freely enjoying their lives. In other words, individuals, knowing their every action is being monitored by third parties, inevitably end up following an unspoken command to be conscious of others and meet their expectations. Ultimately, they end up acting to meet others’ expectations. This problem is vividly illustrated in Franz Kafka’s novel The Trial. In the novel, the power of the court subjugates people, and this subjugation disempowers individuals, ultimately reducing them to a state of absolute obedience. While the novel presents an extreme conclusion regarding security and privacy issues, it clearly shows that without privacy protection, people cannot freely judge and act.
Even if the government does not use information about autonomous vehicles and companies hold it within their systems, problems can still arise. First, the risk of personal information leaks increases significantly. Currently, many incidents occur at companies like credit card firms due to employee negligence or malicious leaks by insiders, causing public anxiety. Regardless of the leak’s origin, these incidents mostly stem from companies’ poor information management. There is no guarantee that such leaks will not occur in the future when autonomous vehicles become commercialized. In fact, a situation could arise where a much larger volume of personal information is leaked, leaving users unable to guarantee a safe life. Therefore, it is also deemed inappropriate for companies to collect this information. The issue of corporate information collection is actually included in the autonomous vehicle guidelines published by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These guidelines emphasize establishing processes to minimize security risks.
Ultimately, it is considered most desirable for both the government and companies to retain the minimum amount of information obtained during the operation of autonomous vehicles. While the government may receive information related to criminals for security purposes, it should not collect all users’ driving information to reduce crime itself. In cases where access to autonomous vehicle information is unavoidable, such as for criminal investigations, it should be operated similarly to the current CCTV system. Specifically, only records relevant to the purpose should be stored and made accessible, and logs must be kept of who accessed what and when. Access to this information should be strictly limited except in exceptional cases.
As technology advances, life becomes more convenient, but corresponding countermeasures must also evolve. These countermeasures could be technical solutions developed through new technology or legal measures created through discussion. The same applies to autonomous vehicles. While autonomous vehicles offer numerous benefits, such as reducing accident rates and alleviating traffic congestion, their interconnected nature means privacy-related issues can arise. While this interconnectedness could aid crime prevention, the government or companies holding vast amounts of user data carries greater negative implications. Therefore, before actively promoting autonomous vehicles, we must deeply consider privacy concerns and appropriately prepare both technical and legal countermeasures.
