Mercedes-Benz says driverless cars would hit a child on the street to save passengers inside

Driverless cars would hit a child on the street if it meant saving the people inside the vehicle, Mercedes-Benz Australia says. The luxury car brand's Australian branch has answered the moral dilemma of who a driverless car would save if it was faced with running over a child or swerving into a car and potentially killing the passengers. 'If there is someone literally jumping in front of you, in that circumstance, there's nothing technology can do except reduce speed of impact,' Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman David McCarthy told The Australian. 'If an impact is inevitable, it will reduce the speed, tighten seatbelts and prime the brakes. 'The safety systems and impact protections are obviously greater within the cabin than outside. 'I would say that the vehicle is designed inside to protect the people inside, and it's the assistance systems that do that,' he said.