Self-driving Uber car kills pedestrian in Tempe, AZ

The police statement was that she "came out of the shadows". It happened at 10 o'clock at night.

At night, the car's lights would have been on. Though marking autonomous cars in some way to make it obvious what they are wouldn't hurt. It won't help with people who aren't paying attention though.

 

I have not seen anyone report the victim emerged from between parked cars.
The pedestrian was crossing from the median to the shoulder. It being night, and approaching from a very unuaual direction, I don't see this as very convincing that the pedestrian could be easily seen. We need more information.

 

Here we go again, didn't this happen in about 1900 when a car was driving through a town someone was suppose to run ahead of the car and warn people so they could take control of their horses. Here is what is called the "Red Flag Laws".

Red flag traffic laws - Wikipedia


Looks like those times have returned again.

The proposed law in Pennsylvania was actually funny. Go figure, it would be Pa.

 

Like the flashers on school buses? People are getting hit by cars every day. Shouldn't they all have flashers then? If this accident happened because the woman didn't notice the car, it would have happened no matter who or what was driving.

Robot cars can be safer than human drivers, but they won't be perfect. They won't be able to predict every action the people around them might do. Then the people can act in a non-selfpreserving way no matter how many alerts you give them that a moving car is heading their way.

 

When the number of autonomous cars increase, the bright colors and lights will just fade into the background for most people.

During this testing and development period, I am not against making the robot cars stand out, but doing so does not actually improve the car's ability to avoid hitting things. It might prevent someone from getting hit because they became more alert, but they likely may have been hit if the car was normal one driven by a human in that case. Long term, making the cars more noticable isn't an option. If not for the possibility of people learning to ignore it, but because if it works, every car should have it.

This is like the Tesla fires. Cars catch fire and burn in the US every day. It only goes above local news for a Tesla because they are the new and different thing. Pedestrians get hit and killed by a car every day in this country, and it just remains local news. For some cases, the pedestrian is the one at fault. Autonomous cars have the potential to reduce even those pedestrian deaths with their 360 degree vision and always alert ability. Yet they would be able to prevent every one.

In this case, I think it being a person walking a bike laden with grocery bags prevented the system from recognizing her for a person. Then time of day, lighting, and where she was crossing prevented the driver from spotting her in time.

 

we all drive on some poorly lit streets, that's why we have headlights. perhaps the peripheral vision of the self driving tech needs improvement. not to mention the snoozy 'driver'. i wonder if she was drug tested?

 

that's just my little dig. will be interesting to see the cockpit video.
but i'm a firm believer in the likelihood that the more autonomous vehicles become, the less attention some drivers will pay.

 

Dark shadows should not be an excuse.

An autonomous car should be seeing in a wide verity of spectrum's, including Ir (night vision).

jp

 

Which is why I think the system was fooled. It has been mentioned some systems are having issues with bicyclists. Then the victim was walking the bike, which had grocery bags hanging on it. The car likely was having trouble identifying what it was, and then conditions were too poor for the human in the car to spot her.

Seeing is a complicated process for machines and people. Spotting something with a sensor or eyeball is just the beginning. Things can go wrong on the computational side of the process for AIs and meat sacks.

And for using a bright color for autonomous cars, don't pick red. Turns out red easily fades into the shadows to humans, and whymany fire departments use bright yellow or lime-green for their trucks.

 

To insure any readers don't get confused, there are no reports that the driver was 'snoozing'. Per reports, the driver was not under the influence.

 

My best guess of what the safety driver might have seen:

Using Google Earth to adjust the light for 10PM would give a better idea. The bicyclist could have been in the shadows of the trees on the island to the left.

This is based on where the car stopped next to the sign on the right:

Bob Wilson

 

according to the times article, the car is in the right lane. the lady was walking and the car 40mph. where would she be in the few hundred feet before impact?

 

PROGRESS is not necessarily for the good.
The atomic and hydrogen bombs represent PROGRESS; definitely more efficient ways to kill more people. I'm not going to beat this to death, but I truly believe that this full autonomy that many are pushing is too dangerous in today's environment, and I don't want to be the involuntary test victim of this experiment!

P.S. You probably have heard that the insane GM company is SOON to release Autonomous cars with no steering wheel or other controls!! Is it possible that this might be just a bit PREMATURE !!??



Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
AChoiredTaste.com

 

"The Uber vehicle was in autonomous mode with a human safety driver at the wheel..."

So...what was the "human safety driver" doing and saying when this incident happened? Were this person's hands/feet on the controls and eyes forward to reduce reaction time? What was the F/O doing? Where's the CVR and FDR info to confirm this data? Why didn't ATC notify impending collision? Did TCAS sound an alert and advise avoidance maneuvers? Were the pedestrian and the UBER vehicle even equipped with working Mode S and TCAS? Where was the security that allowed the pedestrian access to the sterile area? Didn't the tower see and declare an immediate hold on all traffic due to an unauthorized pedestrian near the active?

 

oh boy. i guess i was wrong about her snoozing. texting is much safer.

i can't believe the software isn't sophisticated enough to at least slam on the brakes and swerve at the last millisecond.
these things should be banned from public roadways until they are more fully proven.

does she hold the same responsibility as a driver of a non autonomous vehicle?

 

I think when people hear about an accident like this, human nature is to react with a certain amount of fear.
You get the "We're Not Ready For This Technology" or "We're going too fast".

I'm not sure this accident is indicative of either.

Autonomous Vehicles are already NOT driving drunk. They already are not driving distracted. They already do not drive in an emotional state. They will never sneeze while driving or have a heart attack behind the wheel. Autonomous vehicles don't suffer from a lack of experience.
That is to say, my guess, and it is a guess, is that even in this early primitive state, autonomous vehicles are probably safer in most situations than whatever human element you would put behind the wheel.

That's not to say they are perfect or that further testing, further operational application isn't needed. But the way I look at it, if you EVER want self driving vehicles on the road? Then self driving vehicles will have to be on the road.

With all the things autonomous vehicles CAN do, I suspect what they can't do, is drive with instinct. I don't think you can program in a "Gut Feeling" or sudden premonition.
And believe it or not, I've avoided accidents on the basis of those very things. Not because I saw anything, not because I had great reflexes, or superior peripheral vision, but because I approached an intersection, and for no tangible reason, just felt I should slow down.

So anyway, as we advance in our development and ultimate usage of self driving vehicles, I don't think I can afford to react with fear or mistrust, even with tragic stories of pedestrians being struck or killed.