There are many health-oriented companies and products that are managed by over-networked systems and could risk immense public safety. Cybersecurity in general is a complex issue that poses serious threats to our digital devices. In the AI space, the same concerns are also present, especially in the case of self-driving cars. Even though self-driving cars hold the power to transform modern transportation and theoretically increase road safety. This requires a tremendous amount of trust in self-driving technology and if the system were to be attacked by hackers the consequences would be disastrous. Unlike the Chedder company, the highly technical nature of self-driving cars requires almost all parts of it to be online and cannot be replaced by manpower. As a result, this makes the industry extremely vulnerable to hacking or just internal system errors. As of right now, there are no clear solutions to prevent hackers from attacking autonomous vehicles’ software systems. Although networking and automation are pivotal parts of self-driving services, if possible I think the control system should not be networked. Alternatively, there should be an easy way to take over control of the computer in cases of emergencies.
If Sara had stayed quiet the company would not have thought about taking a step back on its automation. Instead, the company would have continued to spend money on more digital solutions. I admire Sara for standing up by doing so she challenged many implicit assumptions such as social and political hierarchy. When her colleagues and higher-ups tried to intimidate her, she spoke up and refuted the notion that the CEO’s managers and advisors are more competent than their subordinates. She fought against the gendered prejudices that regularly encourage women to keep quiet in the office and diminish their value as professionals or advisors. Finally, she disputed the notion that because she worked in a different industry, she wouldn’t be familiar with how to address security breaches. She proved that the voices of minority workers can be crucial to both the success of an organization and the safety of the general public.
This is relevant to my project as we also need to think about user safety, especially with the data we collect. In addition, we have to put extra effort into how to verify identities to avoid impersonation.
