Yahoo Autos Uber Reaches Settlement With Victim's Family
The family of the Arizona woman who was killed by a self-driving Uber car has reached a settlement with the San Francisco-based company. The settlement will protect Uber from having the details of its self-driving tech exposed to the public and, of course, prevent a high-profile discussion and legal decision of who is at fault when self-driving cars kill humans.
Elaine Herzberg, 49, was killed on March 18 around 10 PM when a self-driving car powered by Uber's technology and with a safety driver struck her at 40 MPH. Herzberg's death, which occurred while she walking her bicycle along a confusing intersection, has spurred a statewide suspension of the company's self-driving tests. The company has continued with self-driving tests elsewhere. Toyota and chipmaker Nvida have also suspended their self-driving efforts pending the results of an inquiry into the accident.
While Herzberg's death might have far-reaching ramifications for the industry as it attempts to regain public trust, the legal aspect of the case "has been resolved," according to Cristina Perez Hesano, an attorney with the firm of Bellah Perez in Glendale, Arizona that Herzberg's family retained after her death.
The terms of the settlement were not made public. Hesano also said that Herzberg’s daughter and husband, whose names were not disclosed, will be making no statements on the matter.
Whatever the agreement, Uber will now be spared a trial which could have made key components of its self-driving technology public record. Likewise, the question of who is at fault when a self-driving car hits a human will not be argued in a court of law. At least, not yet.
Source: Reuters
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