A self-driving car operated by Uber struck and killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Ariz., Sunday night. The incident could be the first pedestrian death involving a self-driving vehicle.
The car was in autonomous mode but had a human riding along to take control of the vehicle if necessary, according to the Tempe Police Department. The victim, 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg, was struck while walking outside a crosswalk, police said. She was immediately transported to a local hospital, where she died.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi referenced the “incredibly sad news out of Arizona” in a tweet and reaffirmed that the company will cooperate with local law enforcement.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team to investigate the incident.
The incident is not the first fatal crash involving autonomous technology. In May 2016 a Tesla Model S struck a tractor-trailer on a Florida highway, killing the Tesla’s driver. Government investigators highlighted an “overreliance on vehicle automation” as a contributor to the crash.
