Uber is the latest company to learn the hard way that self-driving cars and pedestrians don’t mix. The company is suspending its self-driving car program after one of its cars fatally struck an Arizona woman.
According to the NY Daily News, one of Uber’s driverless cars hit Elaine Herzberg, 49, early Monday as she rode her bike outside a crosswalk in Tempe.
Uber claims a driver was behind the wheel, but the car was in autonomous mode.
The tragic accident is believe to be the first time someone has been killed by a self-driving car.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi tweeted Monday: “Some incredibly sad news out of Arizona. We’re thinking of the victim’s family as we work with local law enforcement to understand what happened.”
Khosrowshahi said Uber is suspending the driverless car programs in Phoenix, Toronto, Pittsburgh and San Francisco.
