Robotics on AI and Society Course

Robotics on AI and Society Coursehttps://msucerl.org/cmse101/tags/robotics/Recent content in Robotics on AI and Society CourseHugoen-usTue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000Week 10: Autonomous Systemshttps://msucerl.org/cmse101/readings/week-10/Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://msucerl.org/cmse101/readings/week-10/<h2 id="week-10-autonomous-systems">Week 10: Autonomous Systems</h2> <p><strong>Focus:</strong> Self-driving cars, robotics, accountability</p> <hr> <h2 id="-required-readings">📚 Required Readings</h2> <h3 id="primary-readings">Primary Readings</h3> <ol> <li> <p><strong>“The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles”</strong> (30 min)</p> <ul> <li>How self-driving cars work (sensors, decision-making)</li> <li>The trolley problem and real-world tradeoffs</li> <li>Liability and insurance in autonomous systems</li> <li>Safety standards and testing protocols</li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><strong>“Robots in Society: Accountability and Control”</strong> (25 min)</p> <ul> <li>Where are robots deployed? What tasks?</li> <li>Human-robot interaction and trust</li> <li>Who is responsible when autonomous systems cause harm?</li> </ul> </li> </ol> <h3 id="supplementary-resources">Supplementary Resources</h3> <ul> <li>Tesla autopilot incidents and investigations</li> <li>Boston Dynamics robots — Current capabilities and concerns</li> <li>“Why Accountability Matters for Autonomous Weapons” — Brief overview</li> </ul> <hr> <h2 id="-discussion-prompts">💭 Discussion Prompts</h2> <ol> <li>Who should be held liable when an autonomous vehicle causes an accident?</li> <li>How much human oversight is necessary for autonomous systems?</li> <li>Should there be limits on where robots or autonomous systems can be deployed?</li> </ol> <hr> <h2 id="-preparation-for-class">📝 Preparation for Class</h2> <ul> <li>Research one autonomous system currently in use (self-driving car, delivery robot, medical robot, etc.)</li> <li>Prepare: How it works, current limitations, real-world incidents if any</li> <li>Consider: What could go wrong? What safeguards exist?</li> </ul> <hr> <h2 id="-related-assignment">🔗 Related Assignment</h2> <p>See <a href="https://msucerl.org/cmse101/assignments/week-10/">Week 10 Assignment</a> for this week’s task.</p>