Killer robots WILL be regulated but you won’t get a payout if they nick your job
EUROPEAN parliament plan to over-rule robots they believe could pose harm to humans in the near future.
MEPs voted on a motion which called for strict rules on how humans interact with androids.
They came out overwhelmingly in support of a report that states robots should have kill switches and a legal status as "electronic persons".
This will ensure machines can be held accountable for any harm caused to humans, particularly in relation to self-driving cars.
The rules would enable humans to use robots "without fear of physical or psychological harm," .
A statement published by European Parliament this morning read: "The growing use of robotics also raises ethical issues, for example to do with privacy and safety, stress MEPs.
"They propose a voluntary ethical code of conduct on robotics for researchers and designers to ensure that they operate in accordance with legal and ethical standards and that robot design and use respect human dignity.
"They also ask the Commission to consider creating a European agency for robotics and artificial intelligence, to supply public authorities with technical, ethical and regulatory expertise."
European Parliament refused a request for special income for those who lose their jobs to automation.
The vote is certain to anger tech giants like Elon Musk's Tesla cars which will be forced to jump through regulatory hoops should they wish to expand across Europe.
The draft report advised that robots should be governed by three proposed laws.
Firstly, a robot should not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Second of all, a robot must obey orders given by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law.
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Finally, a robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first and second laws.
All robots should be registered and provide access to the source code to investigate accidents and damage caused by machines gone astray, it added.
The vote follows a top British academic's predictions that the law will bend to allow robot marriages by 2030.
An appetite for sex with robots is already strong, with Californian company Real Dolls' sex robots on pre-order.
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