Footage Released Of Self-Driving Uber Car Hitting Cyclist

Footage has been released by Tempe police in Arizona, showing the collision of a self-driving Uber with a cyclist.

The cyclist, Elaine Herzberg, died following the incident. The self-driving Uber had a 'safety' driver at the wheel.

In the footage, she can be seen looking down until seconds before the collision, and she is visibly startled when the cyclist comes into sight.

Herzberg's death is the first fatality involving a fully autonomous test vehicle.

Speaking to Metro, Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor, who studies autonomous vehicles, said: "The victim did not come out of nowhere. She's moving on a dark road, but it's an open road, so Lidar (laser) and radar should have detected and classified her as a human."

Questions have now been raised as to whether the car was at fault. Its SUV lights didn't illuminate until just before the collision, which suggests it might not have been able to stop in time, a worry for Uber and other autonomous vehicle producers.

An analyst who also spoke to Metro said the car's safety driver, Rafaela Vasquez, was overly reliant on the car driving itself, but also added that the car's technology "should have been able to pick her up", in reference to Herzberg.

Uber has suspended testing of self-driving cars since the incident in Arizona

Following the crash, Uber suspended its road tests around the USA and Canada in cities including Pittsburgh, Phoenix, San Francisco and Toronto.

Along with its video, Tempe police issued a statement about the ongoing investigation into what happened in the Arizona city.

"Tempe Police Vehicular Crimes Unit is actively investigating the details of this incident that occurred on March 18th. We will provide updated information regarding the investigation once it is available," read the statement.

Uber hired a number of researchers in early 2015 to develop self-driving cars and launched its first self-driving car service in Pittsburgh the following year.

Each was equipped with 20 cameras, seven lasers, GPS, lidar and radar equipment, all of which should in theory ensure that the car is safe and fully 'aware' of its surroundings, including pedestrians.

However, with the incident causing the company to suspend its testing, its unclear when, or if, self-driving cars become commonplace anytime soon.

Uber said in a statement: "The video is disturbing and heartbreaking to watch, and our thoughts continue to be with Elaine's loved ones. Our cars remain grounded, and we're assisting local, state and federal authorities in any way we can."

Topics: US News, Uber, Technology, USA, Cars

Ronan O'Shea

Ronan J O'Shea is a freelance journalist from London who has written for titles including LADbible, Headspace, The Independent, National Geographic Traveller and New York Post. Contact him at [email protected].