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Uber set to test self-drive vehicles in Texas, but they will be operated manually


Next stop Dallas! Uber is set to test its self-drive cars in Texas, but they will be operated manually – for now

  • Uber set to test self-driving cars in Dallas, Texas starting late November
  • It is the first round of testing since a woman was killed by one of its vehicles
  • Testing in Dallas will be done manually until it completes data collection

Uber is heading to Dallas, Texas to test its self-driving cars – but the vehicles will only travel in manual mode.

This is the first testing series since the ride-sharing giant’s operation was suspended last year a woman was killed by one of its vehicles in Tempe, Arizona.

Uber hopes to develop high-definition maps, capture scenarios to create simulations on a test track and refine its expansion methodology during this new phase of testing.

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Uber is heading to Dallas, Texas to test its self-driving cars –but will be operated manually. The firm hopes to develop high-definition maps, capture scenarios to create simulations on a test track and refine its expansion methodology during this new phase of testing

Uber is heading to Dallas, Texas to test its self-driving cars –but will be operated manually. The firm hopes to develop high-definition maps, capture scenarios to create simulations on a test track and refine its expansion methodology during this new phase of testing

‘The City of Dallas has been an exceptional partner to Uber as we continue to expand mobility options for our riders and economic opportunities for restaurants,’ Austin Geidt, Head of Uber ATG Strategy, shared in the press release announcing the new development.

‘Dallas users on our platform have many of Uber’s US-based offerings at their fingertips: shared rides, Uber Eats, JUMP scooters, Transit, Uber Freight, and more.’

‘Dallas also offers us the opportunity to explore a different type of road network for our self-driving technology.

‘The city’s modern infrastructure, unique traffic patterns, road characteristics, and climate will offer new information that can inform our ongoing engineering efforts.’

Although Uber will be testing a fleet of its self-driving cars around ‘Big D’, they will be driven manually by Mission Specialists who will have control of the vehicle at all times.

The Uber team will use the information to develop HD maps, simulations for its test track and identify key characteristics found in a city to ensure its self-driving cars would perform as intended.

‘Manual data collection is the first step in our development process and key to validating our expansion approach,’ explained Geidt.

‘The data we collect will inform our next steps — we may not look to test our self-driving system in Dallas immediately following this first round of data gathering.

‘While we are certainly excited by this possibility, we are also committed to ensuring that every mile we drive on public roads contributes meaningfully to our development work.’

HOW DID AN UBER AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE HIT AND KILL A WOMAN IN ARIZONA?

A self-driving Uber vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in the first death involving a fully autonomous test vehicle on March 19, 2018.

The accident prompted the ride-hailing company to suspend road-testing of such cars in the US and Canada. 

The Volvo SUV was in self-driving mode with a human back-up operator behind the wheel in Tempe when a woman walking a bicycle was hit.

Elaine Herzberg, 49, died in hospital.

Police have said that the victim, 49 year old Elaine Herzberg, stepped out in front of the car suddenly and they do not believe the car was to blame. 

Uber suspended its self-driving vehicle testing in the Phoenix area, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto.

The testing has been going on for months as car makers and technology companies compete to be the first with cars that operate on their own.

Uber’s self-driving car crash that led to the death of a mother-of-two could have been avoided, driverless vehicle experts have claimed.

Cortica, a firm that develops artificial intelligence for autonomous vehicles, has analysed the dash cam video.

The company concludes the car, which failed to brake or swerve before the collision, had enough time to react and potentially save Ms Herzberg’s life.

Speaking to CNET, Cortica’s CEO Igal Raichelgauz said the firm’s self-driving AI system detected Ms Herzberg 0.9 seconds before impact.

At this point the car was around 50 feet (15 metres) away.

He said the autonomous car’s cameras and radar system should have had enough time to pick up the pedestrian and react to the situation.

Driverless cars are fitted with a system of cameras, radar and lidar sensors that allow them to ‘see’ their surroundings and detect traffic, pedestrians and other objects.

An AI computer system then decides what actions the car takes to avoid a collision – a setup that is supposed to work as well at night as during the day.

A top executive for the maker of Lidar sensors used on Uber’s self-driving car said she was ‘baffled’ as to why the vehicle failed to recognise Ms Herzberg.

The footage appears to back up Uber safety driver Rafaela Vasquez's (pictured) claims that she was alert during the ride and nothing she could have done would have prevented the fatal collision

She told police that Herzberg (pictured) stepped out in front of her with a bicycle carrying multiple shopping bags

The footage appears to back up Vasquez’s (left) claims that she was alert during the ride and nothing she could have done would have prevented the fatal collision. She told police that Herzberg (right) stepped out in front of her with a bicycle carrying multiple shopping bags

The team hopes to turn the back on self-driving capabilities of the vehicles once the initial data collection phase is complete.

‘The Uber network is a powerful thing,’ Geidt shared.

‘It brings people closer to the things they need, and self-driving technology has the potential to create even more value to our users.’

‘In order to arrive at that future, we must approach building this technology thoughtfully and with a strong sense of responsibility to the communities where we operate, which our team is dedicated to doing every day.’

Uber’s self-driving car crash in March 2018 led to the death of a mother-of-two could have been avoided, according to driverless vehicle experts.

Police in Arizona are still investigating the incident and have released footage of the moment Elaine Herzberg, 49, was hit by the self-driving Volvo SUV.

Cortica, a firm that develops artificial intelligence for autonomous vehicles, has analysed the dash cam video.

The company concludes the car, which failed to brake or swerve before the collision, had enough time to react and potentially save Herzberg’s life.  



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