In a shocking incident that has once again raised questions about the safety of autonomous vehicles, a pedestrian in downtown San Francisco was critically injured and trapped under a driverless car on Monday night.
The incident involved a vehicle operated by Cruise, a self-driving car company based in San Francisco and a subsidiary of General Motors (GM). However, Cruise claims that the accident was caused by another human-driven vehicle.
Vehicle Collision Leads to Severe Injuries
According to reports from the San Francisco Fire Department, the victim suffered multiple life-threatening injuries. The incident occurred when a human-driven vehicle collided with the pedestrian while traveling in the lane adjacent to the autonomous Cruise AV.
The impact of the collision was severe, causing the pedestrian to be launched directly in front of the autonomous vehicle. In response, the Cruise AV braked aggressively to minimize the impact. Unfortunately, the driver of the other vehicle fled the scene, leaving behind a critically injured pedestrian.
Cooperation and Investigation
Cruise responded swiftly to the scene of the accident and has been cooperating fully with investigators. While there was no human driver or passenger in the autonomous car to provide firsthand accounts of the incident, Cruise vehicles are equipped with cameras and telemetric data collection, which could prove invaluable in shedding light on the events leading up to the accident. The San Francisco Police Department is currently investigating the incident but has not yet commented on the cause.
Controversy Surrounding Autonomous Vehicles
The incident involving Cruise’s autonomous vehicle has once again ignited controversy over the safety and reliability of self-driving cars. Cruise has been under scrutiny in San Francisco after regulatory authorities approved robotaxi companies to operate their driverless cars around the clock in the city.
The company has faced criticism for causing traffic congestion and being involved in multiple collisions, including one with a fire truck. As a result, Cruise agreed to reduce its fleet by 50% to address these issues, as per the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ request.
The Road Ahead for Autonomous Vehicles
The recent incident in San Francisco serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges associated with the development and deployment of fully autonomous vehicles. Despite the setbacks and controversies surrounding autonomous technology, proponents argue that self-driving cars ultimately offer a safer alternative to human-operated vehicles.
As investigations into this incident continue, the focus remains on the well-being of the injured pedestrian and the identification of the responsible driver of the human-driven vehicle.
