Consumers are still wary of autonomous driving technology and news that vehicles from Cruise Automation were involved in six accidents last month likely won’t help their confidence.
However, the numbers aren’t as bad as they appear as Reuters notes the accidents were caused by other drivers or pedestrians and no one was injured.
Some of the accidents were wacky enough that they’re hard to comprehend. In one instance, an autonomous Chevrolet Bolt was driving in San Francisco and when its human driver noticed a drunken cyclist was going the wrong way and headed straight for the car. The driver stopped the Bolt but the cyclist still hit the car and fell over, taking out a sensor in the process.
September also saw a Bolt being rear-ended by a driver who was on their cell phone. Another case involved a Dodge Charger which attempted to illegally pass a Bolt but ended up hit it and fleeing.
When asked about the accidents, a Cruise spokesperson told Reuters “All our incidents this year were caused by the other vehicle.” This is an unfortunate reality as even the best technology can’t keep us safe from other humans.
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