Engineering Risk Control and Value Realization Approaches from an Acceptable Risk Perspective: A Case Study of Autonomous Driving Technology
Autonomous driving technology represents the pinnacle of contemporary cutting-edge engineering, and its development process vividly demonstrates the inherent dialectical unity between value creation and risk in engineering activities. This paper adopts “acceptable risk” as the core theoretical framework to comprehensively analyze the positive values of autonomous driving technology across safety, efficiency, economic viability, and social inclusivity, while also detailing its complex risk profile—including technological uncertainties, algorithmic ethical dilemmas, ambiguous liability assignments, and social trust deficits. The study reveals that large-scale adoption of autonomous driving faces significant obstacles due to the lack of consensus on defining acceptable risk thresholds that balance technical rationality, ethical principles, and societal acceptance [1]. Traditional analytical frameworks based solely on technical rationality and cost-benefit considerations have limitations, as risk acceptability is fundamentally a socially constructed process. Therefore, this paper proposes a multi-tiered, collaborative risk governance framework integrating conceptual, technological, and institutional dimensions. It advocates for reconstructing engineering philosophies through “responsibility-driven innovation” and “value-sensitive design,” strengthening technical foundations by enhancing algorithm transparency and establishing extreme condition detection systems, and shaping socially acceptable risk boundaries through well-defined regulatory frameworks, clear accountability mechanisms, and sustained public engagement. The conclusion emphasizes that the positive value of autonomous driving and other emerging technologies can only be realized stably and ethically within a responsible innovation environment characterized by continuous risk identification, rigorous evaluation, and transparent societal dialogue.
Keywords: acceptable risk; engineering ethics; autonomous driving; risk control; algorithmic ethics
