In an effort to provide on-demand services for consumers, more and more companies are trying to think way outside of the box—often with dangerous consequences. Amazon is considering drone deliveries, an idea with multiple legal barriers, and Uber has been in the news with a tragedy involving an autonomous car in Tempe. For businesses, the need for a reliable distribution partner who can perform demanding delivery services without legal difficulties or public risk has never been higher. Here is a close look at the Uber car crash and its impacts.
What is Uber trying to do with autonomous cars?
As the name suggests, autonomous cars are self-driving cars. Uber originally tested these cars in San Francisco, but after the city banned Uber from continuing the tests there because they did not obtain permitting. After that, Uber relocated the tests to Arizona. Uber’s hope is that self-driving cars can expand their ability to service customers and can increase services like Uber Eats and other delivery activities.
What happened during the fatal crash?
On March 21 in Tempe, 49-year old Elaine Herzberg walked into the street and was struck by an Uber Volvo SUV. The nighttime crash was fatal. There was a human driver behind the wheel at the time as a backup, but the car was operating in autonomous mode at the time. Video of the crash appears to show the driver looking down away from the road at the time of the incident. The accident is being investigated to determine why the car did not sense the woman’s presence and brake.
What is the future of Uber’s autonomous car program?
Uber discontinued self-driving car tests everywhere in the wake of the accident. The governor of Arizona has also forbidden the company from doing any further tests in the future. However, Uber remains committed to making their autonomous car program a success in the long term.
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