
An Uber SDA unit has been reported due to it hitting and killing a woman who crossed the street in Arizona. This marks the very first fatality that has occurred involving an autonomous vehicle and quite possibly a heavy blow on its credibility as the transport of the future.
Of course, this means that Uber has to temporarily suspend the testing of the SDA units which are currently happening in Arizona, Pittsburgh and Toronto. These SDA’s are supposed to reduce the number of car fatalities, by the way.
“This tragic accident underscores why we need to be exceptionally cautious when testing and deploying autonomous vehicle technologies on public roads,” said Democratic Senator Edward Markey, a member of the transportation committee, in a statement.
Now, for those who are interested in the affected party. The name of the victim is Elaine Herzberg, age 49. She was walking her bicycle outside the crosswalk on a four-lane road in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe on Monday when she was struck by the Uber vehicle traveling at about 40 miles per hour.
Now, it is believed by the Tempe Police that this incident was not the fault of the SDA unit. “I suspect preliminarily it appears that the Uber would likely not be at fault in this accident,” said chief Sylvia Moir.
The very reason for this is because this collision was inevitable as the woman had stepped in abruptly. At least that’s what the chief believes after watching the CCTV footage of the incident, who later added that “it is dangerous to cross roadways in the evening hour when well-illuminated, managed crosswalks are available.”
The incident is now under review by many peers at the current time. So it’s only a matter of time before the truth of the incident comes to light. Could this be actually the victim’s fault or the beginning of the end of the SDA revolution?
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