Obviously "do not stop in the middle on the road" will be high on the priorities of self driving algorithms...
The edge of the road is soft, not well marked, contains rocks and nails and housepets. The road proper is hard, well-marked, and vehicles should want to stay there always.
Of course this will occasionally result in inconvenience for other drivers as vehicle 1 has been stationary for 25 minutes now as it applies a mandatory software service pack. But, oh well. That is THEIR problem. It's obviously maximal for MY vehicle to stay on the road at all times.
Self driving cars already know how to park and get out of the road.
The rest of the argument goes into bizarro land. Can't tell if trolling...
First, a stop vehicle in the middle on the road is a surefire way to a multi-car collision at worse, and traffic fines at best. Both of which would be avoided by any self driving algorithm not written (or approved if it's something like a neural network) by Harpo Marx.
Second, "It's obviously maximal for MY vehicle to stay on the road at all times" is not an argument, since self driving algorithms are not written and optimized for the car owners sole convenience but also for overall traffic, traffic regulations, and several other considerations besides...
i fear much of the enthusiasm behind self-driving cars is from people who understand neither driving, nor computer software, very well.
There are places where it takes some skill just to comply with an officer's request for you to pull over. Not everywhere is a bunch of standardized interstates.
Have the car GO and find a suitable area. Driving for a few more km perhaps slower and with the alarm lights flashing to find a spot to stop, will surely be safer than stopping right then and there just because you can't find a convenient place to pull out.
Lower priority than stopping then and there in the middle of the road/interstate (as suggested by parent) as opposed to a service/rest-area/shoulder/side of the road/etc...