This is a developing story. Smart Cities Dive will update with more insight and analysis as information becomes available.
Dive Brief:
- A self-driving car operated by Uber struck a woman late Sunday night in Tempe, AZ as she attempted to cross the street outside of the crosswalk, according to The New York Times and others. The woman later died of her injuries.
- The autonomous vehicle (AV) — which was accompanied by a vehicle safety operator — struck the woman at the intersection of Mill Avenue and Curry Road. The weather was clear at the time of the incident, according to Times reporter Daisuke Wakabayashi.
- Uber is reportedly "fully cooperating" with local authorities to investigate the incident. The company has suspended testing of its AVs in Tempe, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto.
Our hearts go out to the victim’s family. We’re fully cooperating with @TempePolice and local authorities as they investigate this incident.
— Uber Comms (@Uber_Comms) March 19, 2018
Dive Insight:
This incident is believed to be the first known fatality involving the testing of an autonomous vehicle on public roads. While it is still unclear what exactly caused the collision, this worst-case scenario illustrates concerns many have long expressed regarding AVs — most notably, what could happen if the vehicle encounters an object or person in the road with little detection time. Policymakers and AV testers often tout statistics that 94% of vehicle crashes are tied to human error, though there is clear evidence that humans are not the only problem.
Arizona has been identified as a favorable state for AV testing due to its dry weather, good roads and density. And though Gov. Douglas A. Ducey recently passed an executive order to advance AV testing and operation and "prioritize public safety," Arizona has had a fairly hands-off approach to AVs. Following this incident, and an investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board, it is likely more regulation will be presented on the state level to further prevent this from happening again.
On Monday, a coalition of more than 25 organizations signed a letter calling for more AV oversight from the federal level, noting the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration "have chosen to be detached spectators instead of engaged safety regulators during one of the most crucial and critical times in the history of automobiles." Though this incident was not cited in the letter, it is expected that these signatories — including representatives from the Vision Zero Network and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety — will refer to this occurrence in their efforts to spur more engagement from federal policymakers.
