I can do anything with my AV data (but I won't do that): Public attitudes towards data recorders in self-driving cars

This article reports results from a public survey designed to evaluate public attitudes and perceptions towards data recorders in Autonomous Vehicles (AVs). Our study indicated that road users are willing to make compromises about their privacy in and around AVs, as long as the data recorded is used to improve vehicle safety. Our study also indicated that more vulnerable road-users such as pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders are willing to be recorded by on-board devices, however this willingness is linked to the data from these devices being accessible to determine liability and the cause of an accident or near-miss. However, the type of data recording currently mandated by international legal frameworks does not accord with these public expectations. While the results of our survey highlights a gap between the international legal obligations of manufacturers and the expectations of the public, it is also relevant to inform policy makers at the national level on the public's view about the importance of data recorders in the development of trustworthy autonomous vehicles. The failure of AVs to meet societal expectations on transparent data recording frameworks, and the use of that data to improve safety, may impact the uptake and acceptance of AVs.