Self-driving cars are on the horizon, but the technology requires sophisticated maps to ensure that vehicles can navigate the roads safely. Right now, industry leaders are at work to ensure that Google -- currently ahead of the pack with its Google Maps service -- doesn't snatch the biggest slice of the pie. The maps that autonomous vehicles will use to navigate the roads need to be much more sophisticated than Google's current offering. A self-driving car needs more information than a human driver or a pedestrian, so various sensors and high-definition cameras are being used to chart the country's highways and byways. According to Bloomberg, Google is working on a 3D mapping project that would capture the landscape of hazards that a vehicle may face in much greater detail. The project goes way beyond what's currently available via Google Maps, but it's also distinct from the high-definition maps being created by Alphabet subsidiary Waymo.

With organizations like the Partnership on AI, we're already starting to see signs that companies recognize and want to address the dangers of an AI race. But for now, the Partnership is comprised mainly of western organizations, while companies in many countries and especially China are vying to catch up to ― and perhaps "beat" ― companies in the U.S. and Europe. How can we encourage organizations and research teams worldwide to cooperate and develop safety standards together? How can we help teams to monitor their work and ensure proper safety procedures are always in place? AI research teams will need the feedback and insight of other teams to ensure that they don't overlook potential risks, but how will this collaboration work without forcing companies to reveal trade secrets? What do you think of the Race Avoidance Principle?