Uber self-driving car kills pedestrian in first fatal autonomous crash

[Brian4Liberty]

Uber self-driving car kills pedestrian in first fatal autonomous crash
by Matt McFarland - March 19, 2018

Uber has removed its self-driving cars from the roads following what is believed to be the first fatality involving a fully autonomous car.

A self-driving Uber SUV struck and killed 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg as she walked her bicycle across a street in Tempe, Arizona, Sunday night, according to the Tempe police. The department is investigating the crash.

A driver was behind the wheel of the Volvo XC90 SUV at the time, the police said.

"The vehicle involved is one of Uber's self-driving vehicles," the Tempe police said in a statement. "It was in autonomous mode at the time of the collision, with a vehicle operator behind the wheel."

Autonomous mode means the car is driving on its own. During tests, a person sits behind the wheel as a safeguard.

Uber is conducting tests of autonomous vehicles in Arizona, Pittsburgh, Toronto and other areas. Uber said it has stopped testing the vehicles throughout the United States and Canada.
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More: http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/19/tec...918uber-autonomous-car-fatal-crash0135PMStory

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Update: Video.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Wonder if the driver had a beer that day?

 

[Swordsmyth]

How long will it take before they blame the pedestrian?

 

[Brian4Liberty]

How long will it take before they blame the pedestrian?

Don't even get me started on pedestrians who walk or run out into the street without even looking. The most flagrant are often mothers pushing a baby carriage in front of them because "they have a baby!" which means they always have the right of way...

 

[The Northbreather]

A tragic story and yet a really good event for human drivers.

 

[pcosmar]

How long will it take before they blame the pedestrian?

Bet that they have

 

[Anti Federalist]

A tragic story and yet a really good event for human drivers.

My first thought as well.

A martyr in the true sense of the word.

 

[goldenequity]

Woman dead after being hit by a self-driving Uber car in Tempe, Arizona

Our thots & prayers go out.... beep. beep. wrrrr. beeep.


Breaking911
BREAKING: Woman dead after being hit by a self-driving Uber car in Tempe, Arizona. It’s the first known pedestrian fatality from a driverless vehicle - NYT

Self-driving Uber car kills Arizona woman crossing street
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...s-arizona-woman-crossing-street-idUSKBN1GV296

http://kdvr.com/2018/03/19/woman-ki...-hit-by-self-driving-uber-vehicle-in-arizona/

 

[timosman]

Volvo, the Swedish car brand owned by China’s Geely, confirmed its vehicle was involved in the crash but said the software controlling the SUV was not its own.

Who do we point fingers to, now?

 

[dannno]

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showth...ls-pedestrian-in-first-fatal-autonomous-crash

 

[goldenequity]

srry brian U can move K? K.

==========

 

[timosman]

Nobody is outraged?

 

[dannno]

How long will it take before they blame the pedestrian?

They already did - apparently this pedestrian was walking outside of the crosswalk.

 

[timosman]

 

[specsaregood]

So if a human driver did this, they would likely be charged with manslaughter. Who gets charged here? Or is this a way to dodge corporate responsibility?

 

[William Tell]

14 year old's can't drive, but cars can drive themselves. Sad story.

 

[William Tell]

So if a human driver did this, they would likely be charged with manslaughter. Who gets charged here? Or is this a way to dodge corporate responsibility?

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

 

[nikcers]

Herzberg may have been homeless.

Another victim of the Uber economy

 

[dannno]

Another victim of the Uber economy

Who was the first victim?

The taxi cab companies who spent decades lobbying for regulations on taxi cabs.

Fuck them, Uber economy ftw..

That doesn't mean I'm excited about self-driving cars, but using technology to get around government regulations and being more efficient is really what people refer to as the "uber economy" anyway. Nobody refers to self driving cars as the "uber economy", it is more for stuff like ridesharing, airbnb, craigslist, etc.. stuff that people didn't want the government regulating in the first place.

 

[Swordsmyth]

They already did - apparently this pedestrian was walking outside of the crosswalk.

Would a human get away with that excuse?

Did the AI hit and run?