Fiction by Bruce Holsinger
Noah and Lorelei live in the not-so-distant future where self-driving cars are commonplace. So when they take a road trip with their three kids, they aren't too concerned about their safety. Noah is on his laptop sending work emails and Lorelei is similarly absorbed, working on her phone. Seventeen-year-old Charlie is at the wheel, letting the self-driving system do its work, while his younger sisters ride in the back. Suddenly, inexplicably, there is a collision with another car. The family is injured but mostly okay. The couple in the other car dies.
Immediately the question is: who is at fault? Is it the AI system, who was supposed to be in charge? Is it Charlie, who was at the wheel? Is it Noah, who was in the passenger seat, nominally supervising his minor son? There is a serious investigation underway, and nearly everyone in the family feels weighed down by the cloud of suspicion and guilt.
The story is called "culpability," and it is indeed about finding out who is to blame for the accident, but it is more about the family themselves and their relationships. I think it's also about the idea that culpability is not so easily assigned; there can be many levels of fault and more than one person to blame in any situation..
This was good story that made you think; it was not perhaps a completely enjoyable read, however.
