NSF/DHS Workshop: Policy for Autonomy

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

The balance between control and independent decision processes in robotic systems is not well defined and in many cases is poorly understood. From legal liability to individual versus social benefits, the role of regulation remains unclear even as the technology rapidly advances. This workshop will help characterize, frame, and articulate the policy issues related to autonomy and to explore the best legal infrastructure for law and policy on robotics, recognizing a fundamental interdependence between policy and technology challenges, including in the area of autonomy. The Workshop will address four goals: Enhance the understanding of state-of-the-art technology and market trends related to autonomous systems, including robotics technology; Identify opportunities and future research directions for strategic investments in autonomous systems at the national level; Identify and discuss potential policy implications of autonomous systems; and Contribute to the development of a policy framework for autonomous systems. The three application areas of self-driving cars, unmanned aerial vehicles, personal and service robots, future development will benefit from a clearer policy perspective. The workshop will bring together relevant experts in this diverse topic area from academia, industry and government to focus attention articulation of a policy framework for autonomous systems while also identifying future areas for research and collaboration. The workshop report, with a definition of a draft policy for autonomy framework, identification of the implications for the application areas within such a framework, and an outline of future research questions will provide a foundation for work in autonomous systems policy going forward.