Woman killed by self-driving Uber car
A woman has been killed by an Uber self-driving car, causing the ride-hailing company to suspend its autonomous vehicle program across the United States and Canada.
The Uber vehicle was in autonomous mode, with an operator behind the wheel, when it hit a woman walking in the street in the city of Tempe, Phoenix in Arizona late Sunday.
The victim was hospitalised and later died from her injuries.
"The vehicle was traveling northbound ... when a female walking outside of the crosswalk crossed the road from west to east when she was struck by the Uber vehicle," police said in a statement.
Uber has now suspended use of self-driving cars it was testing or using in Tempe, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and San Francisco, according to the company.
"Our hearts go out to the victim's family," an Uber spokesperson said.
"We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident."
Sunday's accident was the first fatal self-driving car crash involving a pedestrian.
The first deadly self-driving car accident was reported in mid-2016, and involved a Tesla.
The Tesla Model S, cruising on "Autopilot," failed to detect a crossing tractor-trailer against a bright sky, killing the driver -- who it later emerged had kept his hands off the wheel for extended periods of time despite automated warnings not to do so.
It was a nightmare scenario for an industry promoting a way to improve road safety and reduce traffic fatalities that come mostly from human error.
In September, US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao released new guidelines that permit more testing of self-driving cars and address regulation between the federal government and states.
Autonomous-vehicle technology has been touted as having potential to save fuel, ease congestion, and make transportation safer.
Chao argued that self-driving technology could also improve mobility for the elderly, disabled and other restricted populations.
But the non-profit Consumer Watchdog has warned that roads are being turned "into private laboratories for robot cars with no regard for our safety."
US states set their own rules for roads, and a handful have passed laws allowing self-driving vehicles.
California and Arizona have been particularly encouraging, hoping that companies developing autonomous technology in those states will create local jobs and facilities devoted to a promising new industry.
