A woman pedestrian was struck and killed by a self-driving Uber car on Sunday night in Tempe, Arizona. This is believed to be the first fatality caused by a self-driving car. Of particular interest is that this car had a “safety driver” at the wheel. More details at: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/self-driving-uber-involved-in-pedestrian-death-in-arizona_us_5aafeabbe4b0697dfe193348
This tragic accident highlights the problem with the big tech and auto companies rushing to deploy these self-driving, or “autonomous” vehicles. Safety is getting left behind in the quest for profits. Add this death, and undoubtedly future “autonomous” deaths, to the over 100 deaths caused each day by people driving cars and there is good cause for alarm. It’s one thing to hold a person liable for their negligence, but quite another to pursue tech companies and auto manufacturers for letting loose killer cars and trucks.
Uber suspended its testing of driverless cars, but you can bet they’ll be back at it very soon. There’s simply too much potential profit at stake for these companies to back off development now. The sophisticated technology in these systems will continue to result in serious injuries and deaths and holding the companies that unleash these mobile threats on the streets and highways will require equally sophisticated champions for the injured and their loved ones.