Residents in California and around the nation have likely heard or read many reports indicating how self-driving cars may reduce accidents and the injuries and fatalities associated with them. That is actually a primary goal of developing these technologies and vehicles according to many who support them. Some have even tried to assert that autonomous vehicles may be able to eliminate accidents altogether. That appears to be something many people might not be so willing to believe especially in light of a recent fatal crash involving one of these vehicles.
Many facts surrounding the incident are unknown and those that are known seem to only beg more questions. For example, one report identified the fact that a human test driver was behind the steering wheel of the vehicle at the time yet the vehicle remained in fully autonomous mode making people wonder why the human driver did not intervene.
It is also stated that the road on which the vehicle was driving had a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour yet the self-driving car was driving over that at 40 miles per hour. It is unclear how that is allowed to happen and how these vehicles are programmed.
When people are killed in vehicle accidents regardless of whether the vehicles involved are human-driven or self-driven, those left behind have to deal with their losses. It may be helpful for survivors to talk with an attorney to learn about their options for compensation at these times.
Source: CNN, “Uber’s self-driving car killed someone. What happened?” Nathaniel Meyersohn and Matt McFarland, March 20, 2018
