Autonomous Vehicle Safety Questioned After Multiple Robotaxi Accidents
Following two recent overnight accidents in San Francisco, there have been stronger calls to reconsider the rapid rollout of robotaxi services. Both incidents involved Cruise autonomous vehicles, with one crashing into a fire engine during an emergency response.
The First Incident
The collision with the fire engine occurred at about 10:20 p.m. at an intersection in the Tenderloin District. According to the San Francisco police, while the Cruise taxi had a green signal, it failed to give way to the fire truck on an emergency call. Fortunately, no firefighters were hurt. However, a passenger from the driverless taxi was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The initial investigation highlights the taxi’s oversight in yielding to the emergency vehicle. The fire engine was operated in Code 3 emergency mode, using lights and sirens.
The reason the autonomous car failed to yield remains uncertain. Cruise is investigating the incident to understand the issue more clearly.
The Second Incident
Subsequently, around two hours later, another autonomous Cruise vehicle was hit by a Dodge Charger in the Mission District. A surveillance clip showed the collision at 12:19 a.m. at the junction of Mission and 26th Streets. According to San Francisco police, the robotaxi was moving through the intersection with a green light when it was struck by the Charger. A representative from Cruise mentioned that the autonomous vehicle had sensed the Charger’s approach and had applied brakes before the collision occurred.
San Francisco police mentioned that the vehicle operated by a human likely ran a red light, leading to the collision. Therefore, the autonomous car did not seem to cause the accident. Officials say drugs or alcohol were not factors.
Officials and Residents Question the Readiness of Robotaxi Services
These incidents occurred just a day after city officials in San Francisco urged state authorities to pause the growth of the robotaxi service within the city. They believe self-driving cars are still grappling with technical issues and aren’t fully ready for mainstream adoption.
Residents expressed their reservations, stating that the technology isn’t mature yet. They voiced concerns about the safety of these vehicles, emphasizing that despite their advanced capabilities, they remain machines prone to errors.
What are the Concerns with Autonomous Cars?
Concerns about autonomous cars range from technical and ethical issues to socioeconomic and regulatory implications. Here are the top five concerns:
- Safety Concerns:
- Unpredictable Behavior: While they can handle many scenarios, autonomous cars may still encounter situations they’re not programmed for, leading to unpredictable behavior.
- Sensor and Hardware Failures: Failures in the hardware components, such as sensors or onboard computers, could jeopardize safety.
- Software Bugs: Like any software, autonomous vehicles’ code could contain bugs leading to unintended actions.
- Ethical Dilemmas:
- Decision Making: In unavoidable crash scenarios, how should an autonomous car be programmed to react? Who or what should it prioritize?
- Data Privacy: Autonomous cars collect vast amounts of data. Concerns about storing, processing, and sharing this data could infringe on personal privacy.
- Security Threats:
- Cybersecurity: There’s a risk of autonomous vehicles being hacked, which could endanger passengers and other road users.
- Data Tampering: Manipulating the data used by autonomous cars, such as maps or traffic signals, could have harmful outcomes.
- Economic and Employment Impacts:
- Job Displacement: As autonomous vehicles become more prevalent, there may be job losses in sectors like taxi services, trucking, and delivery.
- Economic Inequality: If initially expensive, autonomous vehicles could widen the gap between the wealthy and the less affluent, potentially leading to a divide in who can access the technology and its benefits.
- Regulatory and Legal Issues:
- Lack of Standards: No universal standards exist for testing or deploying autonomous cars.
- Liability: Determining who is at fault in the event of an accident (software developer, car manufacturer, or user) is a concern that still needs addressing.
- Insurance: Traditional auto insurance models may need restructuring in a world where cars drive themselves.
The following video from KCRA 3 News looks at the self-driving taxi debate.
Northern California Car Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer. Experiencing injuries from an accident can be deeply distressing. If you were hurt in an autonomous vehicle accident, call our law office at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice. Our legal team has helped individuals obtain fair compensation for their injury and wrongful death claims since 1982. See our past cases of verdicts and settlements.
Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash
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