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Pushing a bicycle laden with plastic shopping bags, a woman abruptly walked from a center median into a lane of traffic and was struck by a self-driving Uber op

by prawn 9y ago

Pushing a bicycle laden with plastic shopping bags, a woman abruptly walked from a center median into a lane of traffic and was struck by a self-driving Uber operating in autonomous mode. From viewing the videos, “it’s very clear it would have been difficult to avoid this collision in any kind of mode (autonomous or human-driven) based on how she came from the shadows right into the roadway,” Moir said. The "driver" (more like attendant) had no warning until the sound of impact. The vehicle was doing 38 in a 35 zone which I would've thought was odd - would the vehicles be programmed to push the limit a little as most other drivers often do? Edit: Ignore last comment. Some have suggested the limit was actually 45 mph per signage.

oska 9y ago
It may have been difficult to avoid the collision but if they were driving at a lower speed the collision may not have been fatal. I do not mean 3mph lower to be within the speed limit. I mean significantly lower if passing in close proximity to a pedestrian who may step out onto the road.
avs733 9y ago
Apparently my stored links on this topic are dead but two worhtwhile pieces of information on that point 1) drivers who consistently drive below the average speed of other drivers on a road (i.e., who religiously drive the speed limit) are more likely to be involved in crashes 2) More accidents are caused by speed differential than by speed by itself.
- oska 9y ago
  Your assertion (true or not) is irrelevant to this case. This was a car impacting a pedestrian, not another car on the road. In any impact between a car and a pedestrian the speed of the car is critical in determining whether the pedestrian will be killed.
  - avs733 9y ago
    I didn't mean to suggest that it was relevant in this case. I was merely providing some context for the parent post's observation about an automous car exceeding the speed limit

by prawn 9y ago

oska 9y ago

It may have been difficult to avoid the collision but if they were driving at a lower speed the collision may not have been fatal. I do not mean 3mph lower to be within the speed limit. I mean significantly lower if passing in close proximity to a pedestrian who may step out onto the road.

avs733 9y ago

Apparently my stored links on this topic are dead but two worhtwhile pieces of information on that point 1) drivers who consistently drive below the average speed of other drivers on a road (i.e., who religiously drive the speed limit) are more likely to be involved in crashes 2) More accidents are caused by speed differential than by speed by itself.

oska 9y ago
Your assertion (true or not) is irrelevant to this case. This was a car impacting a pedestrian, not another car on the road. In any impact between a car and a pedestrian the speed of the car is critical in determining whether the pedestrian will be killed.
- avs733 9y ago
  I didn't mean to suggest that it was relevant in this case. I was merely providing some context for the parent post's observation about an automous car exceeding the speed limit