Uber Self-Driving Car Kills Pedestrian

[RinconRyder]

I know it would happen sooner or later and here comes the first huge lawsuit. We see these self driving vehicles all over my town and were just talking about this type of event last night. This will undoubtedly slow down substantially or stop completely the self driving vehicle development.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/uber-self-driving-vehicle-hits-171141094.html

 

[Chupaca]

Doubt it....

There are many a death by manufacturing robots (you don't hear about them) and they continue on. Will put a hitch in there get-a-long for sure. Like to see the list of people and entities that will be sued for this one...:yikes:

 

[mowin]

It's definitely going to slow things down, but as the technology advances, so will this.

 

[wyliec]

Rincon,

Sounds like your putting the cart before the horse. This is from the link you provided:

[FONT=&quot]"Although the Uber vehicle and its human backup could be at fault, it may turn out that there was nothing either could have done to stop the crash, he said."

To me, there's been nothing to determine who was at fault. I also read where the pedestrian was walking her bike outside the crosswalk.[/FONT]

 

[ES44AC]

Same old song, use the public for your R&D. :banghead:

These self driving systems must be monitored at all times just like Auto pilot on an airplane. I'm very sceptical of these systems and how great we are told they work. I'm sure they will keep as many deaths as quiet as possible. :banghead:

Self driving systems are just producing more people who are too stupid to think for them selves.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Rincon,

Sounds like your putting the cart before the horse. This is from the link you provided:

"Although the Uber vehicle and its human backup could be at fault, it may turn out that there was nothing either could have done to stop the crash, he said."

To me, there's been nothing to determine who was at fault. I also read where the pedestrian was walking her bike outside the crosswalk.

There was a person in the car who was supposed to take over so a big question is why didn't he?

 

[ES44AC]

There was a person in the car who was supposed to take over so a big question is why didn't he?

If you don't have your hands and feet on the controls, think about how slow you would be getting the controls and getting in control.

 

[mowin]

I thought these self driving cars were supposed to detect a obstacle and slowdown/stop to avoid a accident?

It will be interesting to see if the car actually did "try" to avoid the person.

 

[RinconRyder]

There are many a death by manufacturing robots (you don't hear about them) and they continue on. Will put a hitch in there get-a-long for sure. Like to see the list of people and entities that will be sued for this one...:yikes:

There is no comparison between a manufacturing robot and an autonomous vehicle. The vehicle has to obtain and respond to a million more data inputs, analyze all of them and come up with a decision in milliseconds. The robot needs only to follow its programmed path and respond to a few dozen inputs.

The deaths associated with manufacturing robots are much more the person's fault than the machines from current data and the financial payback is huge. An autonomous vehicle's financial benefits are much less and the costs are likely to be much higher.

 

[RinconRyder]

Rincon,

Sounds like your putting the cart before the horse. This is from the link you provided:

"Although the Uber vehicle and its human backup could be at fault, it may turn out that there was nothing either could have done to stop the crash, he said."

To me, there's been nothing to determine who was at fault. I also read where the pedestrian was walking her bike outside the crosswalk.

Although it appears that the pedestrian was crossing a busy street outside a crosswalk the vehicle should have recognized an object in its path and taken appropriate action. Neither the vehicle nor the "safety driver" did. A person at walking speed should have been slow enough that the vehicle would have had plenty of time to slow or stop. Tempe police are saying the vehicle did not slow down or attempt to stop.

The pedestrian was definitely at fault for not crossing in a crosswalk BUT millions of people do this everyday without being hit. If it turns out this was a malfunction of the vehicle all bets are off on its acceptance as a future mode of transportation.

Now if you are talking about a "people pod" traveling on sensors automated vehicles might have a future. The Skyway people mover at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix and the DFW airport both have unmanned trains but they travel on dedicated routes which are not shared by other traffic.

 

[canamjhb]

I'm waiting for the rest of the story before passing judgement. The local new media reported that the Uber vehicle was traveling at 80MPH. This happened on a city surface street! That was on tonight's TV news. They also showed a mug shot of the poor bicycle lady taken last year when she was busted for drugs. And she looked like she was ripe off the streets. Lots of people jumping to conclusions with information that is unreliable. So, I will wait.....

 

[RinconRyder]

There was a person in the car who was supposed to take over so a big question is why didn't he?

I'm sure the investigation will get to that but a fail safe that doesn't work is not a real advantage and may be a terrible disadvantage to this program.

 

[Saluda]

A.M.A. is following this topic. Glad they look out for us, sorry for this person and their family.

 

[Bob Denman]

 

[jcthorne]

One thing that will be different from a typical vehicle to pedestrian crash is that MUCH more real data will be available to show what EXACTLY happened. As with most crashes there will be multiple points of failure and no matter if the autonomous vehicle was at fault or not, there will be learning here to prevent such a case in the future. Since this case is so very public already, we will all know the real story in pretty short order.

The shear fact that autonomous vehicles already have a FAR superior driving record to that of human driven vehicles will allow the research to progress forward. If the vehicle is at fault, Uber, the vehicles owner will be held financially liable. Just as would be the case for a human driven vehicle. They just have far more assets to be worth suing over.

 

[Orange Spyder Man]

Too much "profit/money" in this for this death to impede the advancement of driverless vehicles.. this death won't be the last by driverless vehicles...

 

[Yazz]

I'm wondering how quiet the Volvo self-driving car is?

Just kicking around the idea that the pedestrian didn't hear the car...

 

[GOZFST]

UBER has a record of hiring felons, the driver in the AZ case was a convicted felon and in fact UBER was fined 9.8 million dollars in CO for hiring at least 12 felons and 63 others with serious moving violations, drivers license issues and even ignition interlock restrictions.
http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/20/technology/uber-colorado-background-checks-fine/index.html Makes you want to think twice about an UBER ride.

 

[Bob Denman]

UBER has a record of hiring felons, the driver in the AZ case was a convicted felon and in fact UBER was fined 9.8 million dollars in CO for hiring at least 12 felons and 63 others with serious moving violations, drivers license issues and even ignition interlock restrictions.
http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/20/technology/uber-colorado-background-checks-fine/index.html Makes you want to think twice about an UBER ride.

pps: I hate to be the one to mention this; but this was a driverless car.
I don't think that any of their hired felons, had anything to do with the accident.

 

[RinconRyder]

UBER has a record of hiring felons, the driver in the AZ case was a convicted felon and in fact UBER was fined 9.8 million dollars in CO for hiring at least 12 felons and 63 others with serious moving violations, drivers license issues and even ignition interlock restrictions.
http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/20/technology/uber-colorado-background-checks-fine/index.html Makes you want to think twice about an UBER ride.

The article you quote concerns drivers who bypassed Uber's background test by using fake names etc.

Uber will only hire drivers with previous felony convictions if that conviction has been reduced to a misdemeanor AND is a non-violent offense. The driver in the Tempe, AZ case was using a fake name when she was hired and would not have been eligible to be hired.

If this had been an ordinary "car hits pedestrian" accident where the pedestrian suddenly stepped in front of the vehicle the whole fault would fall on the pedestrian. In any event, it will be very interesting to know why the Uber vehicle did not take evasive action. That in itself is very worrying.