Uber seeks to resume AV trials nearly eight months after Arizona fatality

Uber wants to resume testing its self-driving cars on public roads nearly eight months after one of its autonomous vehicles (AV) killed a pedestrian in Arizona. The ride-hailing company has released a voluntary safety report to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which includes safety enhancements to help prevent crashes and fatalities. Uber says its AVs would include two mission specialists – employees who have completed advanced training courses in self-driving vehicle operations. The
November 6, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
8336 Uber wants to resume testing its self-driving cars on public roads nearly eight months after one of its autonomous vehicles (AV) killed a %$Linker: 2 Internal <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 4 34272 0 link-external pedestrian false /categories/utc/news/ubers-autonomous-taxi-kills-pedestrian-north-american-trials-suspended/ false false%> in Arizona.


The ride-hailing company has released a voluntary safety %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external report false https://uber.app.box.com/v/UberATGSafetyReport false false%> to the US 834 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which includes safety enhancements to help prevent crashes and fatalities.

Uber says its AVs would include two mission specialists – employees who have completed advanced training courses in self-driving vehicle operations. The training includes modules on distracted driving and a preventive fatigue monitoring programme.

In %$Linker: 2 Internal <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 4 36189 0 link-external July false /categories/location-based-systems/news/ubers-self-driving-cars-resume-trials-in-pittsburgh-in-manual-mode/ false false%>, the company’s mission specialists began manually driving Uber’s AVs on public roads in Pittsburgh to trial new safeguards which are expected to improve vehicle safety and performance.

One mission specialist remained behind the wheel to maintain the vehicle’s safety while the other documented notable events in the passenger seat.

According to Uber, all self-driving vehicles are now equipped with a third-party driver monitoring system and feature improved system latency to detect objects and actors sooner and react faster.

In the introduction of the report, Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s CEO says the company has conducted a review of Uber Advanced Technologies Group’s safety approaches, system development and culture.

“We continue to support the 5628 National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the Tempe crash. We have taken a measured, phased approach to returning to on-road testing, starting first with manual driving in Pittsburgh,” Khosrowshahi adds.

Khosrowshahi emphasises that Uber has committed to deliver the safety report before returning to on-road testing in self-driving mode and will only go back on the road once the improved process has been implemented.

Related Content

  • UK man refuses to take down fake speed camera on A1 road
    October 3, 2018
    A 72-year-old man living beside a major UK road has refused to take down a replica speed camera. The BBC report says Mike Lacey built the fake camera for £40 using drainpipe and guttering to slow drivers passing his house next to the A1 in Beeston, Bedfordshire. Lacey says authorities have asked him to remove the structure as it was distracting for drivers. The village is divided by a dual-carriageway with a speed limit of 50mph.
    Read More
  • Designers explore the future of transport and passenger experience
    May 1, 2013
    Industrial designers from around the world are meeting in London next month to explore the future of transport systems, how to improve the passenger journey from home to destination and how greater integration and connectivity can enhance the transport user experience. Paul Priestman, designer and co-founding director of international design consultancy Priestmangoode will lead the debate in the Wired Transport: Connected trains, planes and automobiles session at the Product Design and Innovation Conference
    Read More
  • TRL launches annual research review
    March 11, 2016
    The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has launched its annual research review 2014-2015, containing a summary of 18 months of research activity at TRL, along with expert commentary on connected and automated vehicles; electric vehicles; healthy transport; safety and smart infrastructure. It also looks at implications of healthy transport on road networks, infrastructure and planning as the government announces ‘healthy towns’ and provides insight on the future for self-driving cars and their safet
    Read More
  • Limited places remaining for FIRM15 infrastructure meeting
    March 31, 2015
    The FEHRL Infrastructure Research Meeting 2015 (FIRM15) will be held on 22 and 23 April 2015 at the Diamant Centre in Brussels, Belgium. Held every two years, for the first time FIRM15 is opening up to all transport modes with speakers and participants from the rail sector. With the theme of ‘Innovative maintenance of Transport Infrastructure: Faster, cheaper, more reliable, safer and greener’, FIRM15 aims at mapping the problems and challenges of innovative maintenance of transport infrastructure;
    Read More

Highlighted Content