'Uber self-driving test vehicles have software issues': NTSB Reports

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on November 05, stated an Uber self-driving test vehicle that killed an Arizona woman back in 2018 had software issues. The safety board further also revealed that the company's autonomous test vehicles in the past 18-months were involved in approximately 37 crashes. The NTSB will reportedly meet on November 19 to discuss the cause of the 2018 accident in which the 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg was killed who was walking a bicycle across a street at night. 

After the crash Uber had reportedly suspended all testing. In Pennsylvania Uber resumed testing again in December after a revised software and significant new restrictions and safeguards were put in place. The Arizona accident further led to important safety concerns about the self-driving car industry which is working towards getting the self-driving vehicle into commercial use. An Uber spokeswoman, Sarah Abboud told an international media outlet the company regretted the crash that killed Herzberg. She further said that the company has adopted critical program improvements to further prioritize safety. Uber had also initiated a one-second delay of planned braking while the vehicle calculated an alternative path or safety driver could take over. However, after the accidents, the company has discontinued the function as part of its software update. 

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Self-driving car accidents

According to the NTSB reports, in one accident the test vehicle struck a bent bicycle lane post that partially occupied the test vehicle's lane of travel and in another accident, the operator took control to avoid a rapidly approaching vehicle that entered its lane of travel. In the Herzberg accident, according to preliminary reports, the autonomous driving system spotted the 49-years-old before hitting her but a system used to automatically apply brakes in potentially dangerous situations had been disabled. The authorities further claimed that the records show the backup driver was streaming a television show on her phone moments before the accident. 

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