10 Classroom questions to explore self-driving cars

Self-driving cars are a brilliant way to get pupils talking about technology, safety, decision-making and the future of transport. For many children, the idea of a car travelling without a person driving still feels like something from a film. Yet self-driving cars, also known as autonomous vehicles, are already part of real conversations in computing, engineering, law, insurance, design and road safety.

That makes them a powerful classroom topic. With the right classroom questions, pupils can explore how technology works, who creates it, who checks it, and how it might change everyday life. The Ava and Chip book Self-Driving Car gives teachers an accessible starting point because it introduces complex ideas such as AI, sensors, cameras, GPS, voice recognition, cybersecurity and algorithms through story.

This blog shares 10 classroom questions about self-driving cars that can be used with pupils in upper Key Stage 2. They are designed to support KS2 computing, digital literacy, STEM learning, speaking and listening, persuasive writing and future transport classroom discussion.

1. How does a self-driving car know what is around it?

This is a great first question because it encourages children to think about the car as a system. In Ava and Chip: Self-Driving Car, the vehicle uses cameras and sensors to recognise people, roads, objects, signs and other vehicles. Pupils can compare this with how humans use their eyes, ears and judgement when crossing a road or travelling in a car.

Follow-up prompt: If a car uses sensors like eyes, what else might it need so that it can make safe decisions?

2. What information does the car need before it can move safely?

Self-driving cars need information from many places. They may use GPS to understand location, cameras to spot road signs, sensors to detect objects nearby, maps to understand routes and software to process information quickly. This helps children see that AI is not magic. It depends on information, instructions and testing.

Follow-up prompt: What might happen if the car received the wrong information?

3. Should a self-driving car always follow the same rule?

This question introduces pupils to algorithms. An algorithm is a set of instructions, but real roads can be complicated. A car may need to slow down for a cyclist, stop for a pedestrian, wait at traffic lights or respond to bad weather. Pupils can discuss whether every situation can be planned in advance.

Follow-up prompt: Can you write a simple algorithm for crossing the road safely?

4. Who should decide if the technology is safe?

This question opens up a thoughtful discussion about responsibility. Is it the company that designs the car? The engineers who build it? The people who test it? The government? The passengers? The Self-Driving Industry Awards include areas such as Testing, Legal, Insurance and Trust, which shows pupils that safety is not only about the car. It is also about people, rules, evidence and public confidence.

Follow-up prompt: What tests would you create before allowing a self-driving car on the road?

5. How could self-driving transport help older or disabled people?

This question helps pupils think about societal benefit. Future transport could make journeys easier for people who cannot drive, people with mobility needs or people living in places with fewer transport options. It also links well to design, accessibility and inclusion.

Follow-up prompt: What features would make a self-driving car more comfortable and accessible for different passengers?

6. What could go wrong if a sensor or camera stopped working?

Children often enjoy thinking like problem-solvers. In the book, Chip asks what happens if a self-driving car stops working. This is a useful way to discuss backup systems, human control, repair, maintenance and risk. It also shows that technology must be designed carefully, not just invented quickly.

Follow-up prompt: What warning message should the car give if something stops working?

7. How can companies help people trust self-driving cars?

Trust is a big part of new technology. Pupils might say that companies should explain how the car works, show testing results, let people try the technology safely or make sure passengers can ask for help. This links to digital literacy because children learn to ask questions rather than simply accept technology.

Follow-up prompt: Would you trust a self-driving car? What would help you feel safe?

8. What data might a self-driving car collect during a journey?

Self-driving cars may collect information about location, speed, routes, passengers, road conditions and objects nearby. This question can lead to a discussion about privacy, cybersecurity and responsible use of data. Children can think about what information is needed for safety and what information should be protected.

Follow-up prompt: What data should a car be allowed to store, and what data should it delete?

9. What jobs might be needed before a self-driving car reaches the road?

This is a strong careers question. Pupils may suggest designers, engineers, software developers, safety testers, mechanics, data analysts, lawyers, insurers, cybersecurity experts and customer support teams. This helps children understand that technology careers for children are not limited to one job title. Many different people contribute to autonomous vehicles.

Follow-up prompt: Which job would you like to try for a day, and why?

10. Would you feel comfortable travelling in a self-driving car? Why or why not?

This final question works well as a class debate, written response or persuasive speech. Some pupils will be excited. Others may feel unsure. That range of opinion is useful because it allows children to practise explaining reasons, listening to others and changing their thinking when they hear new evidence.

Follow-up prompt: Write one reason in favour of self-driving cars and one concern people might have.

Classroom activity ideas

Turn these questions into a carousel of discussion cards, a debate wall, a group poster task or a design challenge. Pupils could design a safer self-driving car, write a passenger guide, create a glossary of key terms or produce a news report explaining how do self-driving cars work for kids.

For a literacy link, ask pupils to write a balanced argument: Should self-driving cars be used in our town or city? For a computing link, ask pupils to create a simple flowchart showing how a car might respond to a red traffic light, a pedestrian crossing or heavy rain.

Why this matters

Children are growing up in a world shaped by AI, robotics, automation and connected technology. They do not need to become experts overnight, but they do need opportunities to ask questions, build vocabulary and think critically about the technology around them. Self-driving car lesson ideas give teachers a real-world way to connect computing with citizenship, design, safety and future careers.

Ava and Chip: Self-Driving Car can help bring this topic to life. Through story, children meet key ideas in a friendly way before exploring bigger classroom questions about technology, society and the future.