The report says the crash took place on Feb. 14 in Mountain View, California, between Google's self-driving Lexus RX450h and a public transit bus. The collision occurred after Google's autonomous vehicle (AV) came to a stop and tried to maneuver around sandbags that had been positioned around a storm drain, according to the accident report.

 

The robotic vehicle was traveling at less than 2 mph (3.2 km/h) and the bus was traveling at about 15 mph (24 km/h) at the time of the crash, according to the report. There were no reported injuries, but the robotic Lexus RX450h sustained damage to the left front fender, left front wheel and one of the sensors on the driver's side, the report said.

 

"We've now reviewed this incident (and thousands of variations on it) in our simulator in detail and made refinements to our software," Google said in its statement to Engadget. "From now on, our cars will more deeply understand that buses (and other large vehicles) are less likely to yield to us than other types of vehicles, and we hope to handle situations like this more gracefully in the future."

 

Google Self-Driving Car at Fault for Bus Crash

Someone forgot to tell the Google software that wheels on the bus go round and round.

Does Google not realize that every time on of these cars gets in an accident they are going to get sued.

Just a matter of time before something like this happened, unfortunately.

Someone forgot to tell the Google software that wheels on the bus go round and round.

 

I would give you a like but...

Does Google not realize that every time on of these cars gets in an accident they are going to get sued.

 

That's called the price of progress.

Just a matter of time before something like this happened, unfortunately.

 

Agree, but it makes the software that much safer next time.

Agree, but it makes the software that much safer next time.

 

Until it kills someone.

Maybe I'm a behind the times simpleton, but is there a huge demand for these cars?

I'm not that bothered by this. Those cars are probably a lot safer drivers than a lot of people that are out there on the road.

Until it kills someone.

 

Just imagine if Google operated every vehicle on the road in all 50 states. Furthermore, imagine that the Google operated cars caused so many accidents that one person died every day in every state as a result of Google malfunctions.

 

Now, you don't have to imagine this one because it would be true, Google cars just cut US traffic fatalities by about 50% for the year.

Again, didn't any of you see The Terminator?!?!

Maybe I'm a behind the times simpleton, but is there a huge demand for these cars?

 

There will be. It will be a big hit among older drivers that have trouble seeing at night. You know, the ones that have no business with a drivers license but they have voting rights. Eventually you won't even have to be a licensed driver. Additionally, think about how much more fun you could have on a night out on the town, at a party, a wedding, a sporting event, etc. if your computer car could drive you home? Long drives may not be so bad in the future when you can sleep (and cars are set up for sleeping) while the car drives you to Florida. Eventually, because the cars will be so much safer, you will have to carry extra insurance to drive your car in a manual mode. In other words, there will not only be demand, it will be a takeover.

Again, didn't any of you see The Terminator?!?!

 

As I think you know I watch a lot of scfy, robotics, drone, etc. type shows ( @spindoc once sarcastically gave me a gold star for watching the Science Channel - doc, I watch a lot of TED talks too if that counts and sometimes even lecture series on interesting topics) and I was watching one this week that said something like everytime you bring up robots and tech there is always one wise guy that shows you this picture:

 

 

Thanks for carrying the torch la.

As I think you know I watch a lot of scfy, robotics, drone, etc. type shows ( @spindoc once sarcastically gave me a gold star for watching the Science Channel - doc, I watch a lot of TED talks too if that counts and sometimes even lecture series on interesting topics) and I was watching one this week that said something like everytime you bring up robots and tech there is always one wise guy that shows you this picture:

 

[ATTACH]55124[/ATTACH]

 

Thanks for carrying the torch la.

 

 

Just doing my part for humanity.