A Fatal Milestone for Autonomous Vehicles
Many are convinced that the future of transportation depends on autonomous cars. Several high-profile companies are working on them, and authorities are gradually relaxing requirements to allow extended testing on public roads. But all of that could come to a sudden halt. Authorities in the city of Tempe, Arizona, have confirmed the death of a woman who was struck last Sunday by an autonomous vehicle operated by Uber. It is the first lethal accident involving such a car, and changes are expected not only on the technological side but also on the political side.
We all agree that the human factor is the main cause of traffic accidents. From falling asleep at the wheel to driving under the influence, cases of deaths associated with driver error or general negligence have been reported endlessly by the media. Autonomous cars promise to eliminate that factor. Computers don't sleep, don't drink alcohol, don't take drugs, don't argue, and don't get distracted. But despite extraordinary technical advances, the active world of autonomous cars has just received a harsh reminder that technology is not ready yet, and a woman had to lose her life to prove it.
On the night of last Sunday, Elaine Herzberg, 49 was struck by an autonomous Uber car at the intersection of Mill Avenue and Curry Road in Tempe, Arizona. The vehicle, a Volvo XC90 SUV, had no passengers except for the emergency safety driver, who apparently did not react in time to avoid the accident. Medical services took Herzberg to a nearby hospital, but she unfortunately died from her injuries. A Tempe police spokesperson said that the preliminary investigation shows Herzberg walking alongside her bicycle (not riding it), while the Volvo was traveling at about 64 kilometers per hour at the moment of impact. The car did not slow down, the driver on board was not incapacitated, and there were no secondary obstacles such as bad weather or construction zones.
According to ABC 15 News, which first reported the incident, the vehicle's front end suffered significant damage.
Naturally, Uber announced its full cooperation with authorities to determine the exact causes of the accident and suspended all autonomous vehicle testing until further notice. Arizona is one of the most permissive states for autonomous cars, after Governor Doug Ducey decided to relax some regulations to attract Silicon Valley giants (Waymo-Lyft-Uber). In California, everything was ready to authorize testing without a backup driver, but with the official intervention of the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) in the Tempe accident, much more information will be needed before proceeding.
