Skip to main content

Uber Self-Driving Car Kills Pedestrian


On the night of March 18, a self-driving vehicle struck a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona.

The woman was attempting to cross the street when the crash occurred, and passed away after being transported to a local medical facility.

Though a driver using Tesla's advanced auto-pilot feature passed away in a 2016 crash, this marks the first known pedestrian fatality involving a self-driving vehicle. As a result, Arizona governor Doug Ducey has suspended tests of autonomous cars on the state's roads until further notice.

Emails obtained after the incident suggest the governor was allowing Uber to test their vehicles in the state without informing the public.

Uber executive Lior Ron has stepped down amid the controversy. Even business partners like Nvidia are distancing themselves from Uber because of the accident.

The company is facing flack for reportedly removing several sensors from their self-driving vehicles prior to testing. Though Uber hasn't released an official statement, they've reportedly been cooperating with authorities investigating the crash and have already reached a settlement with the victim's family.

The transportation giant took a big step into the autonomous sector when it purchased self-driving startup Otto back in 2016.

What do you think about self-driving cars? Will Uber and other companies in the autonomous race ever gain mainstream acceptance? Be sure to follow us on Facebook for more news about business and technology!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Top 5 Moments from The Walking Dead S8E11 “Dead or Alive Or”

Warning: this blog contains spoilers! What would be worse in a zombie apocalypse – going blind, or traveling with someone who put an arrow through your partner’s head? It’s a tough choice, for sure.   In “Dead or Alive Or,” we saw some characters struggling to stay alive while others struggled not to kill. But that doesn’t mean everyone made it out unscathed… Check out our picks for this episode’s top five moments! 05. Tara Spares Dwight – and it Pays Off Technically the first time she missed Dwight, but whatever. Dwight’s time with the Saviors means trusting him is a big risk, but Tara chose to spare his life. He then led a passing group of Saviors off the trail so she, Daryl, and the others could proceed. But now that Dwight is back at the Sanctuary, his days could be numbered if Laura returns. 04. Eugene Gets a Promotion Eugene’s ammo-making skills earned him his own outpost, a dedicated security team, and a pretty lady tak...

Top 5 Moments From The Walking Dead Season 8 Finale "Wrath"

Warning - this blog contains spoilers! The war is over! After it looked like Negan had the high ground going into the final battle, the combined efforts of everyone helped ensure his defeat.  Rick also showed how to (almost) shut Negan up - a knife to the throat! Here are our picks for the top five moments in The Walking Dead season 8 finale "Wrath!" 05. Daryl Spares Dwight Daryl and Dwight have been strangers, allies, enemies, and everything in between throughout the war. After the battle concluded, Dwight was ready to accept his fate for the terrible things he'd done. But his heartfelt apology seemed to sway Daryl, who handed over a set of car keys and sent Dwight on his way to find Sherry. After visiting their old house, he found a note - what a throwback! Could Dwight's former love still be alive? 04. Oceanside Joins the War It seemed like things could get tense at the Hilltop when a large group of Saviors approached. But the Oceansiders...

Top 5 Moments From The Walking Dead S8E14 "Still Gotta Mean Something"

Warning: this blog contains spoilers! A man's word means a lot - but war can change everything.  The gruesome battle at Hilltop left people missing and POWs on the run. As the search ensued, we got some more backstory on enigmatic characters and iconic weapons alike. Here are our picks for the top five moments from this episode! 05. Jadis Cleans Up Well The triple-crossing trash queen showed a different side in this episode. Wearing normal clothes and revealing a spotless dwelling hidden in the heaps, she seems more relatable than ever. There's still something off about her, made obvious by her use of a weaponized walker/cart hybrid. Unfortunately, her well-kempt appearance wasn't enough to get the passing helicopter to land. 04. The Origins of Lucille All those "don't you touch her" lines finally make sense. While in the custody of Jadis, Negan revealed his beloved baseball bat was named after his late wife. By the sound of it, sh...