Uber just can’t get a break these days as the company experiences another setback. One of its self-driving cars was involved in an accident in Arizona on Friday night that left the vehicle flipped onto its side. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. The vehicle involved in the crash was Uber’s Volvo self-driving SUV, which was pictured next to another vehicle also with damages. It was not confirmed if the vehicle had any passengers during the crash. The SUV that ended up on its side suggests it was a high speed crash.
The test cars were deployed in Arizona after Uber refused to give in to California regulations regarding autonomous vehicles needing permits for it to operate.
The company claimed that it doesn’t need any permits as all of its self-driving test cars also have drivers operating them.
Uber’s series of setbacks
Uber has been involved in a series of scandals recently. It was reported that the ride-hailing giant was using a software tool which helps its drivers avoid government regulators and enforcement officials who are gathering data about the company offering services in prohibited areas.
BREAKING: Self-driving Uber vehicle on it’s side after a collision in Tempe, AZ.
— Fresco News (@fresconews) March 25, 2017
Photos by @fresconews user Mark Beach pic.twitter.com/5NCF2KG0rW
In December 2016, an Uber test car ran a red light in California. However, the company blamed this incident on human error rather than a fault to its technology.
Also, Uber is facing controversy regarding its workplace where it has been accused of sexism.
The head of the company’s self-driving program is being sued for allegedly stealing technology from Google’s self-Driving Car program, Waymo, where he used to work. He allegedly used the technology to set up Otto, the self-driving truck startup that Uber eventually bought in August 2016.
It was also learned that based on leaked documents, the company's self-driving technology is not making any improvements.
Compared to other autonomous vehicles
Google’s Waymo test cars were never involved in any major accidents; although they were involved in few minor ones in more than two million miles of testing such as low speed rear-ends that were usually caused by human drivers of the other vehicles.