Autonomous systems on the battlefield: The military potential and risks of self-driving vehicles

The technological development of self-driving cars offers new opportunities for both civil and military applications. In the military domain, the development and application of autonomous vehicles deserves particular attention as it raises new challenges and risks, including cyber security, ethical issues and national security. This research aims to explore the societal acceptance of, and fears and concerns about, the use of autonomous vehicles in combat applications. The study analyses the views of different demographic groups, taking into account confidence in technological developments, transport safety, and ethical and legal issues related to military applications. The results show that the acceptance of military autonomous systems is closely related to public confidence in technology and concerns about the safety of technology. The research will contribute to future research investigating the integration of self-driving vehicles in military environments.