Uber suspends driverless car tests after fatal collision

Uber suspends driverless car tests after fatal collision

Ride-hailing app Uber has suspended its self-driving car tests in all North American cities after a woman was killed in an accident involving one. The incident involving the 49-year-old woman in Temple, Arizona, is believed to be the first death … Continue reading

Ride-hailing app Uber has suspended its self-driving car tests in all North American cities after a woman was killed in an accident involving one.

The incident involving the 49-year-old woman in Temple, Arizona, is believed to be the first death linked to driverless cars.

On Twitter, Uber said “our hearts go out to the victim’s family” and pledged to help police investigate.

Police said the woman, Elaine Herzberg, had not been using a pedestrian crossing and died in hospital.

Toyota followed Uber by suspending its driverless car tests following the incident, on Sunday night.

In the UK, the country’s biggest car maker Jaguar Land Rover is continuing with its tests on self-driving cars, despite the fatal incident in the US.

Dr Noel Sharkey, emeritus professor of artificial intelligence at the University of Sheffield, told the Guardian: “Autonomous vehicles present us with a great future opportunity to make our roads safer. But the technology is just not ready yet and needs to mature before it goes on the road. Too many mistakes and the public may turn its back on the technology.”