In developing cancer drugs that could save millions of lives—just like robot cars are promised to do—we understand we can’t ignore problems in clinical and human trials. We can’t cut corners just because we want to rush a life-saving product to market.
“The perfect is the enemy of the good,” as famously declared by Voltaire, is also a common reaction to ethical critiques of autonomous cars. But this is a straw-man argument: no one is demanding perfection, just due diligence, especially if death is on the line. Just as with cancer drugs or anything else on the market, a product doesn’t have to be perfect, though that’s not an excuse to not be more careful.
Look at seatbelts as an iconic safety device: even they aren’t absolved of all sins, just because they save a lot of lives overall. Unlatch buttons that are too large (and can be accidentally bumped open) or too easily opened have sparked lawsuits and massive recalls. These aren’t really malfunctions but only bad designs, and bad designs can kill.
The extra care needed to avoid these problems doesn’t have to take a Herculean effort or stall research and development. It just means investing some time to think it through and properly set expectations. This could save lives, and every one counts. (Just ask their families.)