Uber Suspends Self-Driving Tests Nationwide After Fatal Arizona Crash
Uber pauses its autonomous vehicle operations across North America after one of its self-driving cars strikes and kills a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona. The company is fully cooperating with local authorities as they investigate the incident.
Uber halts all autonomous vehicle testing in Tempe, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Toronto after a fatal accident in Arizona. The incident occurs late Sunday evening when an Uber self-driving car operating in autonomous mode strikes and kills 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg as she walks outside of a crosswalk. A human vehicle operator sits behind the wheel during the collision, but the vehicle controls itself at the time.
The tragic collision takes place near a popular music venue and close to the Arizona State University campus, an area that serves as a major hub for self-driving technology. This fatal crash happens almost exactly one year after another accident in Tempe that flips an Uber vehicle onto its side. Uber initially moves its testing operations to Arizona in late 2016 after failing to secure the proper permits for its San Francisco program.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey actively supports autonomous vehicle testing through executive orders, making the Phoenix area a top destination for companies like Waymo, Intel, and Cruise Automation. Uber expresses deep sorrow for the victim's family and states that it is fully cooperating with local law enforcement. The ride-hailing giant keeps its autonomous program on hold as investigators examine the exact cause of the deadly collision.