Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
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Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
1–10 of 26 posts
Re: Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
#2I don't know what the law says about this in the US, but when I was taught to drive (in the UK), I was told not to assume that someone signalling would actually do what was they were indicating, and that I would be responsible for whatever happened if I took action in reliance of that signal.
Not sure if that's the law in the UK, or just my instructor teaching me to drive defensively.
Re: Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
#3While it sounds like the human driver was likely at fault in this situation I wonder if she made eye contact with the self-driving car's "safety driver" before the collision. If she assumed he was operating the vehicle and could clearly see her she would have expected him to slow down. This is the cultural birthplace of the Pittsburgh Left, after all.
Re: Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
#4Yep, if you make a left turn in front of oncoming traffic it's pretty much always your fault even if the robot was driving the other car.
Though, in this case, it's probably cheaper for Uber to fix the other car than pay all the lawyer fees because you know there's going to be lawyers involved.
Re: Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
#5I don't know what the law says about this in the US, but when I was taught to drive (in the UK), I was told not to assume that someone signalling would actually do what was they were indicating, and that I would be responsible for whatever happened if I took action in reliance of that signal. Not sure if that's the law in the UK, or just my instructor teaching me to drive defensively.
It's basically the same here. You'll often see people with a right signal on coming to turn into a shopping center and then they don't either it's the wrong place or they forgot their signal was on. I wait to be sure they are turning first.
Re: Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
#6Yep, if you make a left turn in front of oncoming traffic it's pretty much always your fault even if the robot was driving the other car. Though, in this case, it's probably cheaper for Uber to fix the other car than pay all the lawyer fees because you know there's going to be lawyers involved.
There will be legal fees, but if Uber is confident they can win it, it might be a good investment just to defend the reputation of self-driving cars.
If they settle out of court, it leaves room for people to wonder if they settled because they had to. If they proceed to court and win, then they can say, "Our algorithm didn't cause this crash, and an impartial jury confirmed that."
Re: Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
#7I don't know what the law says about this in the US, but when I was taught to drive (in the UK), I was told not to assume that someone signalling would actually do what was they were indicating, and that I would be responsible for whatever happened if I took action in reliance of that signal. Not sure if that's the law in the UK, or just my instructor teaching me to drive defensively.
I used to get people trying to trick me into turning in front of them all the time in the company car for the last company I worked for.
Usually go like;
Me: making right turn out of a parking lot see a car with their blinker on presumably turning into the place I'm leaving so I creep forwards a few feet.
Other car: sees me creeping forwards and think I'm going to turn in front of them so floors it.
Happened so many times I don't even move until they're already halfway turned.
My favorite one;
Me: making a left turn onto a main street Other car: making a left turn onto the side street I'm on
Other car: waves me out
Me: just looks at him
Other car: backs up a bit and waves me out
Me: just looks at him
Other car: backs up a bit more and waves me out
Me: "I see where this is going..."
Other car: puts it into reverse to continue the dance
Me: floors it as soon as they shift into reverse
Other car: puts it into drive as fast as they can and tries to ram me
A prius is a lot quicker than people think...dude's lucky I was in the company car because I'd have gotten out at the next light and slashed their tires if someone did that to me in my personal vehicle -- can't really do that in a car with the company phone # on the side in big lettering.
Re: Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
#8Yep, if you make a left turn in front of oncoming traffic it's pretty much always your fault even if the robot was driving the other car. Though, in this case, it's probably cheaper for Uber to fix the other car than pay all the lawyer fees because you know there's going to be lawyers involved.
The damage was on the front-right bumper of the left-turning car. The only way I can see the left-turning car being at fault is if the left-turning car was in the leftmost lane, and the right-turning car tried to merge into the leftmost lane as well (rather than the closest lane as required)
Re: Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
#9While it sounds like the human driver was likely at fault in this situation I wonder if she made eye contact with the self-driving car's "safety driver" before the collision. If she assumed he was operating the vehicle and could clearly see her she would have expected him to slow down. This is the cultural birthplace of the Pittsburgh Left , after all.
After reading up on the Pittsburgh Left, that needs to be eliminated from driving culture ASAP. If there are intersections that require it, simply add a protected left.
Re: Uber self-driving car crashes into another car in Pittsburgh
#10Yep, if you make a left turn in front of oncoming traffic it's pretty much always your fault even if the robot was driving the other car. Though, in this case, it's probably cheaper for Uber to fix the other car than pay all the lawyer fees because you know there's going to be lawyers involved.
The damage was on the front-right bumper of the left-turning car. The only way I can see the left-turning car being at fault is if the left-turning car was in the leftmost lane, and the right-turning car tried to merge into the leftmost lane as well (rather than the closest lane as required)
There was no right-turning car. The uber car was going straight. The woman in the other car (making the left turn) argued they had their right signal on, but it's not apparent if there's any evidence to corroborate that. Uber has stated that the car's left turn signal was on to indicate an upcoming lane change