Video released of Uber self-driving crash that killed woman in Arizona

New footage of the crash that killed Elaine Herzberg raises fresh questions about why the self-driving car did not stop

Video of the first self-driving car crash that killed a pedestrian showed how the autonomous Uber failed to slow down as it fatally hit a 49-year-old woman walking her bike across the street.

The newly released footage of the collision that killed Elaine Herzberg in Tempe, Arizona, on Sunday night has raised fresh questions about why the self-driving car did not stop when a human entered its path and has sparked scrutiny of regulations in the state, which has encouraged testing of the autonomous technology. read more »

Self-driving car industry confronts trust issues after Uber crash

The fatal accident involving an Uber self-driving car cranks up pressure on the self-driving vehicle industry to prove its software and sensors are safe in the absence of strong government standards, experts in the field said.

Automakers including General Motors Co (GM.N), technology companies such as Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) and ride services providers like Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] have all urged policy makers at the federal and state level not to put a heavy regulatory hand on an industry still in development. They have said their extensive testing demonstrates commitment to safety.

Uber is currently looking for a head of global safety operations who would “drive key strategic programs including Safety Experience and Building Trust,” according to a job posting on the company’s website. The search was posted before the Arizona fatality.

The Uber accident in Tempe, Arizona this week was the first death attributed to a self-driving car operating in autonomous mode. It has given ammunition to critics of the industry concerned that the lack of clear standards allows manufacturers to test faulty or partially developed technology on public streets. read more »