Likewise, unpleasant though it is to admit, it's probably (in many circumstances, especially inclement weather) safer to hit a squirrel or a raccoon that dashes across the road than it is to try to swerve to avoid them. On the other hand, there's going to be a good case from a driver safety perspective to avoid hitting a deer, and it is _critical_ that you attempt to avoid hitting a moose. Obviously, things here get much more complex when you're talking about a child or adult human being.

Point being, I think it's dismissive to just go "the car shouldn't hit anything it detects" - not all objects are equal, even assuming perfect detection (i.e. not mistaking a pothole for a giant rock).