Autonomous Uber car is punished for stupid human causing accident in Arizona 

Uber Technologies Inc. is suspending its self-driving car program after one of its autonomous vehicles was involved in a high-impact crash in Tempe, Arizona, the latest incident for a company reeling from multiple crises.In a photo posted on Twitter, one of Uber’s Volvo self-driving SUVs is pictured on its side next to another car with dents and smashed windows. An Uber spokeswoman confirmed the incident, and the veracity of the photo, and added that the ride-hailing company is suspending its autonomous tests in Arizona until it completes its investigation and pausing its Pittsburgh operations.

Source: Uber to Suspend Autonomous Tests After Arizona Accident – Bloomberg

 

Of course, the media jumped on this story and the headlines quickly raised doubts surrounding the safety of having autonomous or driverless cars on the road. And of course social media was on fire with the image of the aftermath of the collision:

 

 

 

 

 

 

But buried in the lead of this story was this sentence:

Authorities in the city tell Bloomberg that the Uber vehicle was not responsible for the crash. A Tempe police information officer says a second vehicle failed to yield to the Uber car, which did have a driver behind the wheel. However, it’s unclear if the driver was controlling the vehicle.

 

What this story basically tells us is, take the humans out of the equation and this accident probably doesn’t happen. Of course, it does raise the question if the Uber car can file a lawsuit against the human?  🙂

About the Author

Chris Broussard
I'm the Co-Founder and President of Tematica Research and editor of Thematic Signals, which aims to uncover confirming data points and items to watch for our list of investing themes. Whether its a news item, video clip, or company commentary, we've included this full list of items literally "ripped from the headlines." I have been involved in financial services marketing and publishing for over 20 years – having held senior level positions with financial publishers, financial services corporations and providing marketing support and consulting services to financial institutions and independent financial advisors. My background in digital marketing, financial services and consumer research provides me with a unique perspective on how to uncover the underlying proof points that are driving the themes our Chief Investment Officer Chris Versace utilizes in our various Tematica publications.

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