Google's autonomous car had an accident

Credit: lapatilla.com

As of June 2015, the Google self-driving fleet had driven over 1,000,000 miles (1,600,000 km) & had been involved in 12 accidents (including 8 rear-enders at stop lights & traffic signs, one of which resulted in minor injuries to three Google employees). None of the accidents could be attributed to a mistake on the part of a Google autonomous car.¹

On 14th February, a Google self-driving 2012 Lexus RX450h was involved in a low-speed accident with a bus. The Google car was moving at 2 mph. Google has accepted that the accident is at least partly its fault.

Google has updated its software to take account of the fact that big vehicles don’t give way.

In the United States, there are over 6 million car accidents each year, with over 3 million injuries, more than 2 million leading to permanent impairment & 40,000 deaths.²

In the face of such carnage, a single mistake by a self-driving car, resulting in no injury, makes headlines.

This is one of the reasons why it is taking so long to develop self-driving cars – the need to get it beyond good enough, beyond the capability of a human driver – because a single fatal accident which is the fault of a self-driving car would produce a completely irrational response.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-google-selfdrivingcar-idUSKCN0W22DG

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/223844-oh-the-humanity-google-car-self-drives-into-a-bus-at-2-mph

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/03/google-self-driving-car-crash/471678/

http://www.wired.com/2016/02/googles-self-driving-car-may-caused-first-crash/
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¹ “Google self-driving car”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_self-driving_car

² “Car Accident Statistics”, http://www.lawcore.com/car-accident/statistics.html / Google’s self-driving car first crash February 14 changed lanes put itself path oncoming bus accident report filed California DMV February 23 Google autonomous car Lexus SUV driving itself down El Camino Real Mountain View moved to the far right lane make a right turn onto Castro Street stopped detected sand bags sandbags storm drain blocking its path move to get around sand bags caused trouble report cars had passed Google AV autonomous vehicle proceed back into the center of the lane pass sand bags sandbags public transit bus approaching from behind Google AV test driver bus approaching left side mirror believed the bus would stop or slow Google AV continue Google AV reentering the center of the lane made contact Google’s car in autonomous mode driving at 2 mph crash bus driving 15 mph report no injuries reported front left wheel fender Google’s car damaged monthly report In this case we clearly bear some responsibility our car moved collision Google request for comment report question of fault California DMV responsible determining fault last minute lane changes may cause collisions drivers room vehicle next lane moving over minor crash serious implications Google’s autonomous vehicles accidents tech giant technology at fault cars rear-ended red lights Google’s cars recognize hand signals traffic officers think human 17 crashes human error Google road-ready by 2020 Google’s goal car drives much better than humans program director Chris Urmson perfect /