Ride-share giant Uber agreed to pay $205 million to injured parties and their families after its self-driving car struck and killed a pedestrian in 2018. The incident on Tempe, Arizona’s five-lane, 30-foot high concrete-barrier-lined, heavily traveled, Needles Highway occurred when Uber’s self-driving car, operating in autonomous mode with a safety driver at the wheel, was caught on the security camera of a following vehicle driving the wrong way down the highway. The Uber vehicle, which was running an errand with no passengers, struck an oncoming cyclist who was crossing the street perpendicular to the Uber vehicle’s direction of travel. The safety driver at the wheel of the Uber was determined to be streaming a video on her personal cell phone at the time of the crash that resulted in the pedestrian’s death and multiple serious injuries to her own passengers..
According to the NTSB’s report on the incident, the Uber vehicle was traveling 38 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone when it struck the victim. The cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene and the two passengers in the Uber vehicle sustained serious injuries. The safety driver, who was not injured, was arrested and charged with negligent homicide and endangerment..
The victims of the crash filed a lawsuit against Uber, alleging that the company was negligent in developing and operating its self-driving car technology. The lawsuit claimed that Uber failed to adequately train its safety drivers and that the company’s technology was defective..
Uber settled the lawsuit for $205 million. The settlement includes $182 million for the victims and their families, and $23 million for the state of Arizona. The settlement also includes a number of safety measures that Uber has agreed to implement, including new training for safety drivers and improvements to its self-driving technology..
The incident highlights the challenges that autonomous vehicle companies face in developing and deploying self-driving cars. While the technology has the potential to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion, it is important to ensure that these vehicles are safe before they are widely adopted..
The settlement in this case is a significant step in holding Uber accountable for the death of a pedestrian and the injuries to its own passengers. It also sends a message to other autonomous vehicle companies that they must prioritize safety in the development and deployment of their technology..
