Level Four autonomy to end 'wild' police chases

Cars out of control have been in the news lately, between last week's terrorist act in London and an alleged murder spree in Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall just two months ago.

It's enough to get people questioning whether autonomous cars are the logical means of preventing society's rogue elements conducting this sort of homicide. And in a different context it may also end suicide-by-car, which may be more prevalent in the road toll statistics than we know or care to admit.

Equally, however, some ask what's stopping criminals hacking autonomous cars' programs to commit the unthinkable?

According to the autonomous motoring expert at Mercedes-Benz, Jochen Haab, vehicle control software of the future – and already in development – will not be easily hacked. Security is a major concern for any car company working on self-driving cars, says Haab, who is out here testing a Mercedes E-Class on local roads.

“We work very closely with law enforcement agencies,” the Benz engineer told motoring.com.au. Much of that collaboration is based around ensuring the car's secure software can't be cracked.

Asked whether a car like an E 63, operating in Level Four autonomy mode, could outrun a typical American police cruiser – as frequently seen in late-night police video shows – Haab simply replied: “Of course”.

But American police need not endure a road-runner-versus-coyote sort of outcome, when all it takes to stop an autonomous car is triggering a red light at the next traffic light-controlled intersection to bring the wayward E 63 to an immediate halt.

Haab does admit that despite the best efforts of Mercedes-Benz to ensure that like doctors, their cars should first do no harm, someone will likely find a way to circumvent the secure software.

“You can kill people with a knife,” he said, in defence of the car.

A further issue confronting the global automotive industry is that not everyone's on the same page as Benz.

Jaguar designer Ian Callum told motoring.com.au in an interview late last year that he anticipated there would still be a market for cars that could be 'driven' in the future – perhaps even on roads. In other words, at least one high-profile automotive industry executive predicts full autonomy could be disabled at the driver's whim. All the same, the autonomous systems in JLR products of the future may be more like the stability and traction control systems in current Benz products – not capable of being full disabled.

And hopefully one of those features that drivers won't be allowed to disable in future will be pedestrian detection.

Photo of damage left behind after a police chase in Swanston Street, Melbourne: Therese Allaoui?/Twitter