[Ads-l] Word: Autonowashing

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Automobile companies such as Tesla have been heralding the arrival of
self-driving cars for several years. Currently, Tesla cars have Level
2 partial automation. The driver must continue to pay attention to the
road and keep their hands on the wheel while the system is engaged.

The term "autonowashing" is being used to criticize some automobile companies.

Date: May 2020
Journal: Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Volume 5
Article: Autonowashing: The Greenwashing of Vehicle Automation
Author: Liza Dixon

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198220300245

[Begin excerpt]
Autonowashing

Adapted for automation (Rouse, 2007), autonowashing is defined as the
practice of making unverified or misleading claims which misrepresent
the appropriate level of human supervision required by a partially or
semi-autonomous product, service, or technology. Autonowashing may
also be extended to fully autonomous systems, in cases where system
capabilities are exaggerated beyond what can be performed reliably,
under all conditions. Autonowashing makes something appear to be more
autonomous than it really is.

The objective of autonowashing is to differentiate and/or offer a
competitive advantage to an entity, through the use of superficial
verbiage meant to convey a level of system reliability that is
misaligned with the technical capabilities of the system.
Autonowashing may also occur inadvertently, when one unknowingly
repeats erroneous information about the capabilities of an automated
system to another. Autonowashing is a form of disinformation, and it
is, in a sense, viral.
[End excerpt]

Garson

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