Uber Suspends All Self-Driving Testing After Vehicle Kills Pedestrian

HONG KONG, HONG KONG - AUGUST 31: The startup screen of Uber, car transportation mobile app developed by the American technology company Uber Technologies Inc, pictured on the display of an iphone 6s plus, on 31 Augu... HONG KONG, HONG KONG - AUGUST 31: The startup screen of Uber, car transportation mobile app developed by the American technology company Uber Technologies Inc, pictured on the display of an iphone 6s plus, on 31 August 2017 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. (Photo by studioEAST/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Uber suspended all of its self-driving testing Monday after what is believed to be the first fatal pedestrian crash involving the vehicles.

The testing has been going on for months in the Phoenix area, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto as automakers and technology companies compete to be the first with the technology.

Uber’s testing was halted after police in a Phoenix suburb said one of its self-driving vehicles struck and killed a pedestrian overnight Sunday. The vehicle was in autonomous mode with an operator behind the wheel when a woman walking outside of a crosswalk was hit, Tempe police Sgt. Ronald Elcock said.

The woman, whose name hasn’t been released, died of her injuries at a hospital.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi expressed condolences on his Twitter account and said the company is working with local law enforcement on the investigation.

The federal government has voluntary guidelines for companies that want to test autonomous vehicles, leaving much of the regulation up to states.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is considering other voluntary guidelines that it says will help foster innovation. But Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao also has said technology and automobile companies need to allay public fears of self-driving vehicles, citing a poll showing that 78 percent of people fear riding in autonomous vehicles

The number of states considering legislation related to autonomous vehicles gradually has increased each year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In 2017 alone, 33 states introduced legislation.

California is among those that require manufacturers to report any incidents to the motor vehicle department during the autonomous vehicle testing phase. As of early March, the agency received 59 such reports.

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Notable Replies

  1. our cars are killing your people.
    do not resist. resistance is futile.
    we represent the future of your species.
    budget minded. we repeat: do not resist.
    

    — message just release by an Uber dispatcher

  2. Avatar for evan evan says:

    Send lawyers, guns and money…the shit has hit the fan…

  3. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chaos

    (Emphasis added)

    #Bravissimo!

  4. I believe she rubbed her hands together and purred, “Yōuxiù.”
    Then she looked up and shouted, “Get the fuck out of here, Mitch!”

  5. Avatar for tpr tpr says:

    Came here to comment on that exact thing

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

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