On March 1, a tragedy occurred when a self-driving Uber SUV hit a pedestrian on a street in the suburban Arizona neighborhood of Tempe, killing the woman, 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg. Now, more than a year later, the man at the helm of the self-driving vehicle during the accident, Rafaela Vasquez, has pleaded guilty to one count of negligent manslaughter.
It is the first instance of an individual human being being charged in connection to a death caused by a self-driving car.
Vazquez was an “operator” of the self-driving vehicle, which had an emergency back-up driver to take control in the event of an emergency. Vasquez was facing a charge of negligent homicide, however, according to reports, after negotiations with prosecutors, the charge was reduced to the lesser charge.
The accident occurred when the self-driving car was traveling at nearly 40 miles-per-hour and hit Herzberg who was walking a bicycle across a four-lane street. According to the Arizona Republic, the car “failed to slow down or recognize Herzberg as a pedestrian” and crashed into her.
Vazquez has admitted she was “inattentive” and not monitoring the road at the time of the accident. In her plea deal, Vasquez agreed to enter the plea of guilty, comply with court orders, testify in any post-trial proceedings, and cooperate with a continuing criminal investigation into the accident.
For the family of Elaine Herzberg, the plea from Vazquez might bring some closure. In a statement following the fatal accident, her husband said: “I’m sad and dismayed and confused how something like this could happen… she was a good person.”
The plea deal could also set a precedent for how states will handle and regulate the self-driving cars that are rapidly becoming more and more common on roads across the United States.
Ultimately, this tragedy serves as an unfortunate reminder that while self-driving vehicles may be seen as revolutionary technology, it is still important to take every safety precaution necessary when they’re on the road.
