Google’s Self-Driving Cars Crash 11 Times; Who Is To Blame?
Althea Serad | | May 12, 2015 01:59 PM EDT |
(Photo : Reuters) A Google self-driving vehicle is parked at the Computer History Museum after a presentation in Mountain View, California May 13, 2014.
Google's self-driving cars had reportedly been involved in 11 accidents. This revelation came only after the Associated Press learned that the driverless cars had been involved in three crashes in California.
Like Us on Facebook
Google notified California's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of its self-driving car crashes since September as it was required for such companies to report accidents as part of the permits for tests on public roads, according ZDNet.
Disclosure of the total number of collisions of Google's self-driving cars were defended by the company, saying none have been the cars' faults, but by the drivers.
The 11 car crashes were said to be all "minor." This meant light damage and no injuries, according to Chris Urmson, director of Google's self-driving car program, on Monday. "Not once was the self-driving car the cause of the accident," Urmson emphasized.
Seven of the accidents of Google's self-driving cars involved another vehicle rear-ending the Google car, two were sideswipes, and the others involved another car reportedly traveling through a red light.
In all 11 accidents, Google highlighted two things: first, the sensors and algorithms of the driverless cars were statistically more attentive and less prone to error than human drivers, and second, the humans' error-prone behaviors were feeding into better algorithms, making Google's driverless car safer than it already was, reported The Verge.
Google's defense on the safety of their cars came Monday after the DMV had received a total of four driverless car accident reports since September.
The Associated Press also reported Monday morning that three of these involved Google cars, while the fourth involved a vehicle tested by parts supplier Delphi Automotive.
According to an AP source, two of the accident reports involved a car in self-driving mode, while the other two involved a human behind the wheel. However, all four accidents occurred at the speeds of less than 10 miles per hour.
The best way for Google to develop public trust in their self-driving automobiles is through the release of accident reports, which the Department of Motor Vehicles currently considers confidential, according to John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog.
"Google appears to be keeping a big lid on what is going on," said Simpson. "They should simply put out the reports they filed with the DMV."
On Monday, the consumer group also called on the DMV to make all future accidents public.
Tagsgoogle self-driving cars, Self-driving cars, google cars, google cars accidents, google self-driving cars crash, autonomous car, crash, crashes, accident, self-driving, Google’s Self-Driving Cars, Driverless Cars
©2015 Chinatopix All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission
EDITOR'S PICKS
-
Did the Trump administration just announce plans for a trade war with ‘hostile’ China and Russia?
-
US Senate passes Taiwan travel bill slammed by China
-
As Yan Sihong’s family grieves, here are other Chinese students who went missing abroad. Some have never been found
-
Beijing blasts Western critics who ‘smear China’ with the term sharp power
-
China Envoy Seeks to Defuse Tensions With U.S. as a Trade War Brews
-
Singapore's Deputy PM Provides Bitcoin Vote of Confidence Amid China's Blanket Bans
-
China warns investors over risks in overseas virtual currency trading
-
Chinese government most trustworthy: survey
-
Kashima Antlers On Course For Back-To-Back Titles
MOST POPULAR
LATEST NEWS
Zhou Yongkang: China's Former Security Chief Sentenced to Life in Prison
China's former Chief of the Ministry of Public Security, Zhou Yongkang, has been given a life sentence after he was found guilty of abusing his office, bribery and deliberately ... Full Article
TRENDING STORY
-
China Pork Prices Expected to Stabilize As The Supplies Recover
-
Elephone P9000 Smartphone is now on Sale on Amazon India
-
There's a Big Chance Cliffhangers Won't Still Be Resolved When Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Returns
-
Supreme Court Ruled on Samsung vs Apple Dispute for Patent Infringement
-
Microsoft Surface Pro 5 Rumors and Release Date: What is the Latest?