Skip navigation

Uber resumes autonomous vehicle testing after two-day accident-prompted suspension

March 27th, 2017  |  Auto

Well that was fast.

Just two days after an announcement that it would be pausing all testing on self-driving cars while it investigated a company-related crash in Tempe, Arizona, ride-hailing superpower Uber has resumed its testing activities. Based on the available evidence, it was clear that Uber was not at fault in this particular situation.

The Uber vehicle involved in the crash was an SUV carrying two humans—who sustained no serious injuries—that were there to monitor the performance of the autonomous car. It was hit by a separate vehicle making a left-hand turn at an intersection and refusing to yield to the SUV, which had the right of way.

Uber's public road tests have been going on for several months now. Before making their way to Tempe, they were also in effect in Pittsburgh and San Francisco.

However, the company had also run into problems in the Bay Area, where it reportedly refused to apply for the proper autonomous driving permits. Before temporarily having its cars' registrations revoked by the California DMV, one of its Volvos illegally ran a red light.

Insurance for autonomous vehicles does not come cheap in the Golden State. Currently, it requires a $5-million insurance policy. In addition to that, the state demands detailed reports on how often test drivers had to take over.