Narrative Approaches to Human–Robot Interaction and the Law
This document introduces Part III of an academic volume focusing on narrative approaches to human-robot interaction and the law. It examines how legal narratives, metaphors, and storytelling shape the understanding, liability, and regulation of emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles and trading robots. The text discusses specific research chapters covering Norwegian trading robot cases, Singaporean newspaper coverage of autonomous vehicles, and the need for interdisciplinary hermeneutics.
Summary and content fields are drawn from the document text and are pending editorial review.
Who issued it
Who it governs
Researchers, legal scholars, and students examining the intersections of law, narrative theory, and human-robot interaction.
What the document contains
The document explores the role of narrative and storytelling in legal and public understandings of human-robot interactions. It reviews existing research on robot metaphors, criminal liability relating to driving aids and autonomous vehicles, and the necessity of interdisciplinary frameworks for legal interpretation.
The text does not provide binding regulations, specific governance directives, or enforceable legal standards for AI development and deployment.
- Narrative forms are ubiquitous in law and play a critical role in addressing emerging issues like human-robot interaction.
- Courts and public actors use competing narratives of fear, control, and ability when assigning liability in cases involving autonomous systems.
- Commercial entities often frame autonomous vehicles as inevitable, whereas government narratives do not necessarily adopt this inevitability.
- Automated driving systems require a comprehensive hermeneutics of the situation, drawing on law, ethics, and technology.
- Humans frequently anthropomorphize robots, which can generate misleading impressions or potential manipulation.
· Introduction to Human-Robot Interaction and Legal Narrative · Emerging Legal Questions and Robot Metaphors · Overview of Part III Chapters: Pederson, Whalen-Bridge, and Gaakeer · Additional Observations on Legal Procedure and Substantive Law
How it scores
Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.
Accountability
2/5Clear responsibility for AI outcomes
imposed criminal liability on the driver for what were, in fact, robot malfunctions.
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screening score · 2026-10-23
Fairness
0/5Non-discrimination and equitable treatment
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Dignity
0/5Respect for the inherent worth of persons
screening score · 2026-10-23
Privacy
0/5Protection of personal data and private life
screening score · 2026-10-23
Transparency
2/5Openness about how AI systems work and are used
such a system would suffer from an inability to explain precisely where and how conclusions were reached.
Page 282
screening score · 2026-10-23