Uber gives up autonomous vehicle testing rights in Calif.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
An Uber driverless car is displayed in a garage in San Francisco in 2016. Uber has suspended all of its self-driving testing after what is believed to be the first fatal pedestrian crash involving the vehicles. The testing has been going on for months in the Phoenix area, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto as automakers and technology companies compete to be the first with the technology. Uber’s testing was halted after police in a Phoenix suburb said one of its self-driving vehicles struck and killed a pedestrian.
DETROIT >> Uber will not renew its permit to test autonomous vehicles on California public roads when it expires Saturday. And the company will have some explaining to do if it wants to get a new permit.
California’s Department of Motor Vehicles told the ride-hailing service in a letter today that it will lose testing privileges after Saturday. If Uber wants to return, it will need a new permit and has to address investigations into a fatal crash in Arizona last week.
On March 18 an Uber autonomous SUV struck and killed a pedestrian near Phoenix. Arizona’s governor suspended Uber’s self-driving privileges Monday.
Uber decided last week to suspend tests on public roads in California, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Ontario.
An Uber spokesman says the company is preparing a statement.
