The Danish corporate startup Holo works to make autonomous driving work for everyone – from the end-users riding in vehicles to companies adding autonomy to existing mobility or freight services to vehicle vendors developing their technology.

When it comes to implementing technology in autonomous vehicles, many life-defining decisions need to be made before the first trials even occur. In everyday speech, we describe them as ethical dilemmas, often involving how the autonomous vehicle will behave in different situations – mainly in cases where real human lives are at stake.

Based on the calculations of clever engineers and experts, these actions determine whether the company survives in the long term.

Thus, the work with digital ethics is an absolute key pillar in Holo’s business model and why they actively integrate digital ethics into every strategic decision.

The Challenge: Maintaining patience

According to Christian Bering, building a more efficient autonomous transportation and logistics system will enable better quality service while utilizing fewer resources, resulting in better customer experiences and more sustainable transport and logistics solutions. 

Looking at this from the outside, it’s a promise that many customers, especially technology suppliers, want to incorporate into their business models.

As Christian describes, customers might be under pressure to get their vehicles on the street, which can lead to an urge to rush things.

Holo warns, however, that the hasty introduction of new technology can endanger both Holo and the customer.

“In the competitive race to market products, the emphasis often shifts to speed, pushing technology onto the streets prematurely. However, if this push occurs before the technology is fully ready, leading to incidents or harm, it poses an existential threat. There is no way we can allow that to happen at Holo.”

He adds that this risk extends beyond Holo, affecting suppliers, customers, and their future projects. “It’s a stark reminder that in our haste to advance, we must also prioritize readiness, digital ethics, and safety, not just for our company’s sake but for the broader value chain connected to our work.” 

To emphasize the importance, Holo is also taking steps to influence legislation and is working with the authorities in Denmark and other Nordic countries to improve legislation related to autonomous driving and the ethical aspects involved.

The Approach: Sharpening our focus

Ethics is and will always be closely linked to all decisions made at Holo. However, working with Compass has sparked meaningful and vital conversations about what matters most to the company as they develop technology that can potentially change the future of autonomous vehicles.

“Acting ethically is absolutely critical to our work, and although we have long had a shared understanding of how to act and work ethically, the Digital Ethics Compass has raised our awareness.”

Christian adds that the sharpened focus on digital ethics also proves an advantage in the current trials with autonomous passenger vehicles for the Norwegian public transport company Ruter.

“Advancing to the next test phase will bring us significantly closer to achieving our goal of deploying real self-driving vehicles on public roads.”

The Digital Ethics Compass was developed in collaboration with digital strategist Peter Svarre and the three design partners – the agencies 1508, Charlie Tango, and Acceleration, along with two other Danish frontrunner companies, Corti and Danske Bank, Holo also co-designed and tested the compass in practice.

You can try the Compass here.