First fatal crash involving a self driving car

[TerryMason]

For the first time, a self-driving vehicle in autonomous mode has killed a person. ABC 15, an Arizona news station, has reported that a pedestrian was fatally injured overnight by a self-driving Uber car in Tempe.

The Uber vehicle was reportedly driving early Monday when a woman walking outside of the crosswalk was struck.

The woman was taken to the hospital where she died from her injuries.

Uber has reportedly paused all of its self-driving vehicle pilot operations in Tempe, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto and is cooperating with local authorities.

"Our hearts go out to the victim's family," an Uber spokesperson told The Verge. "We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident."

Uber confirms that the vehicle was traveling in autonomous mode with a safety driver behind the wheel during the crash.

 

[TerryMason]

I haven't heard anything about it, but I'd like to know what the "safety driver" was in the car for. Were they supposed to prevent this?

 

[southtj]

Some accidents are unavoidable and while tragic, I still think autonomous cars are going to be much much safer for everyone involved.

Police have footage from two cameras inside the vehicle, including one facing the street. The car was traveling at 38 mph in a 35 mph zone, but a screenshot of the road taken by Google Maps suggests it could’ve been a 45 mph zone. The police department’s preliminary investigation indicates the car made no attempt to brake.
From viewing the videos, “it’s very clear it would have been difficult to avoid this collision in any kind of mode [autonomous or human-driven] based on how she came from the shadows right into the roadway,” Moir told the Chronicle. Police don’t have plans to release the videos while the investigation’s ongoing.

From Jalopnik