Uber's Fatal Car Crash

On March 18, 2018, Uber’s self-driving test program in Tempe, Arizona, faced tragedy when a pedestrian was struck and killed. This event was the first recorded pedestrian fatality involving an autonomous vehicle.

Elaine Herzberg, 49, was crossing Mill Avenue with her bicycle when an Uber Volvo XC90 in autonomous mode struck her. The onboard safety driver, Rafaela Vasquez, was reportedly distracted by streaming video at the time.

Herzberg’s death led to Uber suspending AV testing nationwide. Investigations revealed Uber’s system failed to properly classify pedestrians and lacked adequate safety protocols. Vasquez was later charged with negligent homicide.

Key Takeaways

Human oversight: Even with advanced systems, distracted safety drivers can lead to fatal outcomes

Regulatory gaps: Arizona's lenient AV testing environment were put under heavy scrutiny due to this incident

Societal significance: This case set the precedent for how society and courts view accountability in AV testing.