Moral Decision-Making in the Programming of Self-Driving Cars : A Kantian Approach with Cross-Cultural Perspectives

As autonomous vehicles become increasingly integrated into society, they must manage complex moral decisions once reserved for human drivers. This thesis explores how cultural moral frameworks can inform the ethical programming of self-driving cars, focusing on a comparative analysis between Kantian and Confucian ethics. Kantian ethics emphasizes universal moral laws and duty, while Confucian ethics centers on virtue, relational obligations, and contextual appropriateness. Through analysis of case studies based on the trolley problem, this paper evaluates how each framework approaches ethical dilemmas faced by autonomous vehicles. Kantianism offers clarity and consistency but lacks flexibility in complex, context-sensitive scenarios. Confucian ethics provides nuanced, adaptable responses aligned with social roles and harmony but raises challenges in predictability. The thesis also addresses the emerging responsibility gap in autonomous decision-making and argues for a hybrid ethical model that incorporates both universal principles and cultural sensitivity. This approach balances moral consistency with adaptability and highlights the need for culturally informed, philosophically grounded frameworks in the global deployment of self-driving cars.