PTE Write Essay Task Sample 209

Read the passage below and summarize it using one sentence. Type your response in the box at the bottom of the screen. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the passage.

Managing Ethical Complexities in Autonomous Vehicles

The advent of autonomous vehicles has promised a future of safer and more efficient transportation, but it has also brought to light a complex web of ethical dilemmas. Autonomous vehicles rely on sophisticated algorithms and sensors to make real-time decisions, including navigating life-threatening situations. Herein lies the paradox: how do we program a machine to make ethically sound choices?

One prominent ethical dilemma revolves around the “trolley problem.” In a hypothetical scenario, an autonomous vehicle faces the choice between hitting a pedestrian or swerving into a wall, potentially harming the vehicle’s occupants. Decisions like these force us to grapple with moral trade-offs, as well as who should determine these priorities—manufacturers, regulators, or society at large?

Moreover, the liability for accidents in autonomous vehicles is another thorny issue. With humans no longer in control, assigning responsibility becomes complex. Should it rest with the vehicle owner, the software developer, or some combination of both? This question has profound implications for insurance, litigation, and accountability.

The ethical dilemmas extend to issues of privacy and cybersecurity. Autonomous vehicles rely on vast amounts of data, raising concerns about data ownership, access, and the potential for misuse or hacking.

In navigating the paradox of technological progress in autonomous vehicles, we must prioritize transparency, public dialogue, and a robust ethical framework. Engineers, ethicists, policymakers, and the general public must collaborate to establish clear guidelines and ethical principles that guide the development, regulation, and deployment of autonomous vehicles.