Today, the prevailing belief is that driverless cars will inevitably replace human drivers. Both experts and the general public anticipate that cars will progressively become smarter and more autonomous, potentially surpassing human capabilities. The only uncertainty lies in the timing of this transition. However, framing the question solely around ‘when’ overlooks a more pertinent inquiry.

As discussed in this lecture, it’s far more meaningful to ask not ‘when’ self-driving cars will dominate, but rather ‘what’ they represent today, ‘where’ they’re being developed, and ‘who’ stands to benefit from their adoption. Drawing on data from the MARTA research project, which examined open data on self-driving vehicles from 2000 to 2020, the lecture will provide answers to these issues. We’ll delve into the three primary types of self-driving cars currently in development, explore the geographical landscape of their creation and testing, and contemplate the reasons behind these specific locations. Additionally, we’ll untangle the complex web of partnerships and investments surrounding the advancement of smart cars.

This public lecture will be presented by Nikolay Rudenko, a Candidate of Sociological Sciences and a researcher at the Yerevan Center for the International Center and the Center for Science and Technology Research at the European University in St. Petersburg. The event will take place on March 25th at 18:30 at YCIE located at 31/4 Charents St.