‘Racist’ self-driving cars may not spot dark-skinned faces in the dark, report warns

DRIVERLESS cars could be ‘racist’ and ‘sexist’ when spotting people on the road, an official report has warned.

Self-driving vehicles may “struggle to recognise dark-skinned faces in the dark” according to the Law Commission, which is drawing up legal framework on the futuristic technology.

There are fears that facial recognition software may be less accurate at detecting “non-white and non-male faces”.

Wearing “long skirts or robes” could also cause issue with the onboard computer because “leg movements may not be as pronounced” as if the pedestrian was wearing trousers.

Previous research conducted by the Georgia Institute of Technology showed that lighter skinned people were less likely to be hit by an autonomous vehicle than those with darker skin.

Edmund King, AA president, told The Sunday Times: “The last thing we need is the next generation of Mondeo Man being a racist, misogynist selfdriving automobile.

“These technological hurdles need to be overcome before drivers can take their hands off the wheel.”

Driverless cars could allow passengers to relax and even watch a movie while the computer system in the car navigates the roads.

The Department for Transport has predicted that by 2035 a quarter of all new cars will be self-driving.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said that automated vehicles could prevent 47,000 serious accidents and save 3,900 lives over the next decade but that “fully automated driving is some way off”.