1985
Looks like the UK is heading towards totalitarian dystopia and self-driving cars is just a thin end of the wedge.
Here is why:
The government could use the pretext of ensuring safety and efficiency in self-driving vehicles to install advanced surveillance systems. These systems could monitor not just traffic conditions but also keep a track of citizens’ movements, associations, and routines.
With the advent of self-driving technology, the government could exert more control over where and when people travel. By requiring mandatory routes or restricting access to certain areas, the government could effectively control population movement under the guise of traffic management or environmental concerns.
Promoting reliance on automated vehicles could lead to a decline in driving skills among the populace, making them more dependent on government-controlled transportation systems. This dependency could be leveraged to control aspects of citizens' lives, such as limiting travel during certain times or to certain locations.
By highlighting the risks of cyber-attacks, the government could enforce strict cybersecurity measures that may include invasive monitoring of personal devices and communications under the pretext of national security.
The government could exploit the vast amounts of data collected through self-driving vehicles for commercial gain or political manipulation. This could include selling data to third parties (as they do with NHS now) or using it to manipulate public opinion and electoral outcomes.
By controlling the rollout and access to self-driving technology, the government could create a divide in society – those who have access to the latest technology and those who do not. This could lead to social stratification and increased control over the privileged class.
With self-driving vehicles being highly dependent on software and remote control systems, a government with nefarious intentions could theoretically gain access to these systems. This access could be used to remotely control vehicles, directing them to crash at high speeds, making it appear as an accident. Such a method of targeting opponents would offer the government plausible deniability, as vehicle crashes can often be attributed to mechanical failures or errors in the self-driving system, rather than foul play. This tactic could be used selectively and covertly against key political opponents, journalists, activists, or anyone deemed a threat to the regime. The randomness and apparent non-connection of these accidents could make it difficult to trace back to the government. People raising concerns could be dismissed as conspiracy theorists etc. using the usual methods.