Charles Sturt University: Driverless Trucks Ethical Analysis Report

This report, prepared for the School of Computing and Maths at Charles Sturt University, examines the ethical implications of driverless trucks in Australia. The analysis explores the potential impact on employment and the broader societal and economic consequences of adopting this technology. The report applies various ethical theories, including utilitarianism, deontology, virtue theory, and contract theory, to evaluate the moral and ethical issues at hand. It considers the perspectives of different stakeholders, including the government, transport businesses, and employees. The report discusses the ethical issues, such as increased unemployment and potential risks, and explores what actions can be taken to mitigate negative consequences. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive ethical evaluation before implementing driverless truck technology, considering the various impacts on society and the economy.

SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND MATHS, CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY
The jobs killer is coming: How driverless trucks could change Australia
Assignment 3: Applying Ethical Theory
Student Number
Word Count: -1250

Table of Contents
Table of Contents.......................................................................................................................2
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
What is going on?.......................................................................................................................3
What are the facts?.................................................................................................................3
What are the issues?...............................................................................................................3
Who is affected?.....................................................................................................................3
Ethics Analysis...........................................................................................................................4
Utilitarianism theory..............................................................................................................4
Deontology Theory................................................................................................................4
Virtue theory..........................................................................................................................4
Contract theory.......................................................................................................................5
Ethical issue...............................................................................................................................5
Ethical implication.....................................................................................................................5
What can be done about it?........................................................................................................6
What options are there?..............................................................................................................6
Which option is best – and why?...............................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................8

Introduction
With the change in the technologies and economic busienss condition, there are
several theories and implemented work factors have been taken into consideration. In this
report, various ethical theories have been implemented to evaluate the implemented work
program. The case study showcases how transport owners have been using the automatic
advance technologies in their work functions to win over the market and how it has been
killing jobs available to employees in Australia (Bowen, 2010).
What is going on?
This report divulges the key factors which need to be considered for evaluating the
ethical and moral issues in the adoption of the driverless trucks and it will kill the jobs
available in Australia. By using the several theories, it could be assessed that if advance
technologies are adopted then it will negatively impact the society and increase the economic
burden at large (Ma, & Safra, 2016).
What are the facts?
The fact of report shows that negative and positive impact of the adopted driverless
technologies which will increase the overall outcomes of the busienss. The judgement
practice to implement driverless trucks will be assessed on the basis of ethical issue, moral
support and implemented strategies program (Bowen, 2010).
What are the issues?
There are several issues which will arise in such as increased unemployment rate, risk
of life and failure of the advance system which may also put negative impact on eh society
and economic at large (Darwell, 2008).

Who is affected?
The main negative impact of the case would show the negative impact the society and
increase the economic burden at large. The Australian Federal Government will need to
assess whether the driverless trucks would increase the overall output to the society and
economic at large. The judgment practice to allow and disallow driverless trucks should be
based on the facts found on the basis of Utilitarianism theory, virtue theory, Contract theory
and deontology theory (Bowen, 2010).
Ethics Analysis
Utilitarianism theory
This theory divulges that each and every action is based on the motivation of the
pleasure of feeling. It reflects the each and every entity has their own benefits and they take
their decisions on the basis of their own benefits. The Federal government analyses whether
the undertaken action renders the benefits to society and economic at large (Bowen, 2010).
This theory reflects the judgement practice is highly influenced by the motivation
factors coming out of the feeling and pleasure of the entity (Solum, Galleries, & edu Page,
M. A. (2017).
Deontology Theory
The deontology theory put emphasises upon the ethical and moral issues of the
particular activities. If the undertaken judgement practice to allow the driverless trucks in
Australian economy renders more benefits to economic and society at large as compared to
its negative impact then this should be adopted. The automation of the services and adopting
advance technologies should be appreciated for keeping the people one step ahead from the
existing knowledge (Resnik, 2018).

Virtue theory
With the changes in times, the driverless trucks in Australia will have several positive
and negative impacts. However, the virtue theory could be used to assess the inner strength,
core power, divergent thinking and implemented work action program of the entity or
busienss owners. If the allowance of use of driverless trucks will give more positive benefits
to society then these driverless trucks should be allowed and vice-versa. Nonetheless, the
virtue theory is used to assess the decision and judgement practice to evaluate the possible
positive negative factors of the implemented decision.
The virtue theory evaluates inner strength, core power, divergent thinking and implemented
work action program of the entity, society and people at large from every angle. It
strengthens the judgement practice to evaluate all the possible impacts on the concerned
persons from every angle (Nilstun, Melltorp, & Hermerén, 2010).
Contract theory
The contract theory covers all the rules, regulation, laws and associated factors which
need to be covered by the person to win over the market. It is evaluated all the implemented
laws and regulation needs to be equally followed by the people. Each and every person has
their own right and they could use their rights to the extent to which they do not harm other
persons in society. In this case, adoption of the driverless trucks and its impacts has been
assessed on the basis of its positive and negative impacts on the society and environment at
large. However, in case of failure to these rules and regulations may result to punishment and
imprisonment at large (Bowen, 2010).
Ethical issue
The main ethical issue in this case is related to negative impact on the society and people if
companies adopt the driverless trucks. In this case, Uber has planned to make their
employees independent employee which will eliminate all types of benefits and incentive
plans available to them. However, it will eventually reduce the costing of the Uber services
but at the same time, it will leave its employees independently working without any safety
coverage. It will make Uber not to be responsible for its employees (Mill, 2016).

Ethical implication
The main ethical implication would be related to reduction in the benefits to the employees
of the transport industry. It is considered that if Uber makes its employees independent then
it will negatively impact their sustainable future at large. However, the benefits to society
and clients will be increased but employees will be highly impacted by this act in negative
manner (Mill, 2016).
What can be done about it?
It is analyzed that before making judgment practice, government and transport busienss
owners needs to analyse the moral and ethical concern of the undertaken decision. If
promoting busienss of driverless trucks increase the outcomes to society and economic at
large then government should endeavoured towards making liberal policies for these
transport industry.
What options are there?
There are several ethical theories and work program which could be undertaken by the
transport busienss owners before implementing the judgement practice.
 Use of Utilitarianism theory to identify the factors motivated by the feeling of
pleasure.
 Deontology theory to identify the ethical and moral concern.
 Virtue theory to evaluate the core factors which might affect the judgement practice.
 Contract theory to identify the applicability of the laws and regulation on the
judgement practice (Nilstun, Melltorp, & Hermerén, 2010).
Which option is best – and why?
Best option-Use of the ethical theories to evaluate the cases.

Why- It will assist in identifying the issues and potential benefits to society available (Solum,
et al. 2017).
Conclusion
In this case, there are several ethical theories which have been used to analysis the
ethical and moral concern in the adoption of the driverless trucks. Now in the end, it could be
inferred that judgment practice should be evaluated on the basis of different angel and
benefits available to society and economic at large.

References
Bowen, S. A. (2010). A Theory of Ethical Issues Management: Contributions of Kantian
Deontology to Public Relations' Ethics and Decision-Making.
Darwell, S. (2008). Deontology.
Ma, S., & Safra, Z. (2016). Fairness and utilitarianism without independence. Economic
Theory, 1-24.
McMahon, C. (2017). Authority and democracy: A general theory of government and
management. Princeton University Press.
Mill, J. S. (2016). Utilitarianism. In Seven Masterpieces of Philosophy (pp. 337-383).
Routledge.
Nilstun, T., Melltorp, G., & Hermerén, G. (2010). Surveys on attitudes to active euthanasia
and the difficulty of drawing normative conclusions. Scandinavian journal of public
health, 28(2), 111-116.
Resnik, D. B. (2018). Moral Theory. In The Ethics of Research with Human Subjects (pp.
53-85). Springer, Cham.
Solum, L. B., Galleries, L. B. S. P. P., & edu Page, M. A. (2017). Legal Theory Blog. Legal
Theory.