Uber Reaches Settlement With Family Of Arizona Woman Killed By Driverless Car

Uber Technologies has reached a settlement with the family of the woman killed earlier this month in Tempe, Arizona, after one of the company's driverless test vehicles struck her as she was crossing a street.

Member station KJZZ in Tempe reports that an attorney for the victim's family, Christina Perez Hesano, confirmed the settlement Wednesday night, but provided few details.

"The matter has been resolved," Hesano said, adding that the settlement was between Uber and the daughter and husband of Elaine Herzberg, 49.

The names of Herzberg's daughter and husband were not disclosed and the attorney said there would be no further comment.

Herzberg was seen in a dashcam video released last week from the self-driving SUV that hit her. It shows her walking a bicycle across a darkened road moments before the fatal impact.

Her death is believed to be the first involving a pedestrian struck by a self-driving vehicle.

An internal camera in the Uber test vehicle showed the human safety driver mostly looking down and not at the road in the moments before the crash.

KJZZ's Jimmy Jenkins says that earlier this week Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey instructed the Department of Transportation to suspend Uber's ability to test driverless cars on public roadways in Arizona.

Uber says it has halted testing while it works with the police and federal officials to learn more about the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board says its investigation into the incident will take 12 to 14 months. </s> The family’s attorneys have revealed that they will no longer be commenting on the incident as the issue has already been resolved by both parties.

Uber has reportedly reached a settlement deal with the family of the victim that was killed by a self-driving car in Arizona. According to Reuters, Uber Technologies Inc. apparently dodged a big legal bullet by settling the case outside of the courts. If the family were to pursue a case, it could have been a huge and expensive legal battle for the company seeing as that it was the world’s first autonomous car crash that claimed the life of a pedestrian.

The incident that happened a week ago instantly became viral as two videos of the crash were uploaded online. The first video showed the autonomous Uber hitting Elain Herzberg as she was walking across the road with her bicycle in tow. The second video showed a distracted safety operator reacting in shock as the vehicle hit the pedestrian. The 49-year-old Arizona resident eventually died from her injuries after being hit by the large SUV, which should have been able to spot her, in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe.

Uber’s attorney, Cristina Perez Hesano, recently released a statement, which clarified that the case involving the victim’s family has already been resolved. The company reportedly reached a settlement with the victim’s husband and her daughter. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed. The family’s lawyers have also announced that they will no longer be commenting on the issue as the matter has already been resolved by both parties. The names of Herzberg’s husband and her daughter have also reportedly been kept off the record as per their request.

As reported by the National Public Radio, Uber took immediate action after the incident and suspended all of the ongoing tests on its autonomous fleet in Arizona, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Toronto. The company also expressed its intent to fully cooperate with authorities and federal officials in investigating the cause of the freak accident. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey also ordered the Department of Transportation to immediately suspend all autonomous vehicle tests on public roadways within the state.

Toyota and chipmaker Nvidia have also followed suit and announced that they will immediately be halting their self-driving technology tests on public roads. Both companies, along with other technology firms involved in the development of self-driving vehicles, have stated that they will be waiting for the results of the recent incident’s investigation before they decide to continue their public tests and experiments. </s> The family of the woman killed by an Uber Technologies Inc self-driving vehicle in Arizona has reached a settlement with the ride services company, ending a potential legal battle over the first fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle. The law firm of Bellah Perez in Glendale, Arizona, said the deal had been reached between Uber and daughter and husband of Elaine Herzberg, 49, who died after being hit by an Uber self-driving SUV in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe earlier this month.

For all the latest Business News, download Indian Express App </s> KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A man charged with killing six strangers between picking up rides for Uber pleaded guilty to murder on Monday in Michigan.

Jason Dalton's surprise move occurred as lawyers and a judge planned to pick a jury in Kalamazoo County court. There was no deal for Dalton: He pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder, and he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no chance for parole.

"I've wanted to do this for quite a while," Dalton told a judge.

He answered "yes" to a series of questions, admitting that he shot eight people at three locations in the Kalamazoo area in 2016. Four women, a man and a 17-year-old boy were killed.

After Dalton's arrest, police quoted him as saying a "devil figure" on Uber's app was controlling him on the day of the shootings. He was found competent to stand trial and last week dropped an insanity defense.

Defense attorney Eusebio Solis said he advised Dalton not to plead guilty. But he said his client wanted to spare families more grief during a trial. </s> TEMPE, Ariz. - The family of the woman killed by an Uber Technologies Inc self-driving vehicle in Arizona has reached a settlement with the ride services company, ending a potential legal battle over the first fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle.

Cristina Perez Hesano, attorney with the firm of Bellah Perez in Glendale, Arizona, said "the matter has been resolved"between Uber and daughter and husband of Elaine Herzberg, 49, who died after being hit by an Uber self-driving SUV in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe earlier this month.

Terms of the settlement were not given. The law firm representing them said that Herzberg's daughter and husband, whose names were not disclosed, will have no further comment on the matter as they consider it resolved.

Fall-out from the accident could stall the development and testing of self-driving vehicles, which are designed to eventually perform far better than human drivers and sharply reduce the number of motor vehicle fatalities that occur each year.

Uber and microchip developer Nvidia Corp have put self-driving car testing programs on hold following the fatality, which is believed to be the first death of a pedestrian struck by a self-driving vehicle.

The fatality also presents an unprecedented liability challenge because self-driving vehicles, which are still in the development stage, involve a complex system of hardware and software often made by outside suppliers.

Herzberg was jay-walking across a divided four-lane road with her bicycle when she was struck.

A video taken from a dash-mounted camera inside the vehicle that was released by Tempe police showed the SUV travelling along a dark street when suddenly the headlights illuminated Herzberg in front of the SUV.

Other footage showed the human driver who was behind the wheel mostly looking down and not at the road in the seconds before the accident. </s> TEMPE, Ariz. (Reuters) - The family of the woman killed by an Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] self-driving vehicle in Arizona has reached a settlement with the ride services company, ending a potential legal battle over the first fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle.

Cristina Perez Hesano, attorney with the firm of Bellah Perez in Glendale, Arizona, said “the matter has been resolved” between Uber and daughter and husband of Elaine Herzberg, 49, who died after being hit by an Uber self-driving SUV in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe earlier this month.

Terms of the settlement were not given. The law firm representing them said that Herzberg’s daughter and husband, whose names were not disclosed, will have no further comment on the matter as they consider it resolved.

Fall-out from the accident could stall the development and testing of self-driving vehicles, which are designed to eventually perform far better than human drivers and sharply reduce the number of motor vehicle fatalities that occur each year.

Uber has suspended its testing in the wake of the incident. Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and chipmaker Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) have also suspended self-driving car testing on public roads, as they and other companies await the results of an ongoing investigation into the Tempe incident, which is believed to be the first death of a pedestrian struck by a self-driving vehicle.

Uber does not use the self-driving platform architecture of Nvidia, the chipmaker’s Chief Executive Jensen Huang said on Wednesday.

The March 18 fatality near downtown Tempe also presents an unprecedented liability challenge because self-driving vehicles, which are still in the development stage, involve a complex system of hardware and software often made by outside suppliers.

Herzberg was was walking her bicycle outside the crosswalk on a four-lane road when she was struck. A video taken from a dash-mounted camera inside the vehicle that was released by Tempe police showed the SUV traveling along a dark street when suddenly the headlights illuminated Herzberg in front of the SUV.

Other footage showed the human driver who was behind the wheel mostly looking down and not at the road in the seconds before the accident. </s> Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc has agreed to pay US$20 million to settle claims by the US government that it exaggerated prospective earnings in seeking to recruit drivers and downplayed the costs of buying or leasing a car, documents filed with a federal court on Thursday showed.

[WASHINGTON] Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc has agreed to pay US$20 million to settle claims by the US government that it exaggerated prospective earnings in seeking to recruit drivers and downplayed the costs of buying or leasing a car, documents filed with a federal court on Thursday showed.

The company said on its website that some Uber drivers made more than US$90,000 in New York and US$74,000 in San Francisco when the real earnings were US$61,000 and US$53,000, respectively, the Federal Trade Commission said in a statement. It said Uber's Vehicle Solutions Program gave inaccurate prices for leasing or owning a vehicle.

"This settlement will put millions of dollars back in Uber drivers' pockets," said Jessica Rich, director of the agency's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Under Uber's business model, consumers use an app to hail a ride and pay Uber for it. The ride is provided by an independent contractor, who is paid by Uber.

"When Uber's promised earnings have not materialised, and drivers have attempted to cancel their auto agreements, they have incurred significant monetary harm," the Federal Trade Commission said in its complaint. "Uber's practices have caused its drivers to suffer millions of dollars of injury."

Uber, which operates in 74 countries, said in a statement it was "pleased" to have reached an agreement with the Federal Trade Commission. "We've made many improvements to the driver experience over the last year and will continue to focus on ensuring that Uber is the best option for anyone looking to earn money on their own schedule," Uber said.

Company spokesman Matt Kallman said Uber has more than 600,000 drivers in the United States.

In addition to the US$20 million payment, Uber would be barred under the agreement from misrepresenting its drivers' earnings or payments for automobiles.

Chairwoman Edith Ramirez and Commissioner Terrell McSweeny, both Democrats, voted for the settlement while Republican Commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen dissented. Ms Ramirez has announced that she will step down Feb 10. </s> KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) - A man charged with killing six strangers between picking up rides for Uber pleaded guilty to murder on Monday in Michigan.

Jason Dalton's surprise move occurred as lawyers and a judge planned to pick a jury in Kalamazoo County court. There was no deal for Dalton: He pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder, and he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no chance for parole.

"I've wanted to do this for quite a while," Dalton told a judge.

He answered "yes" to a series of questions, admitting that he shot eight people at three locations in the Kalamazoo area in 2016. Four women, a man and a 17-year-old boy were killed.

After Dalton's arrest, police quoted him as saying a "devil figure" on Uber's app was controlling him on the day of the shootings. He was found competent to stand trial and last week dropped an insanity defense.

Defense attorney Eusebio Solis said he advised Dalton not to plead guilty. But he said his client wanted to spare families more grief during a trial.

FILE - In this April 20, 2017 file photo, defendant Jason Dalton, left, who is charged with killing six people in-between picking up riders for Uber, stands with attorney Eusebio Solis during a hearing in Kalamazoo, Mich. Jury selection will begin on Jan. 3, 2019 after a prosecutor said he won't appeal a decision that keeps a lid on parts of a police interview. Kalamazoo County prosecutor Jeff Getting says it's time to bring the "matter to trial without further delay." The shootings occurred more than two years ago. (Mark Bugnaski/Kalamazoo Gazette-MLive Media Group via AP, File)

FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016 file photo, police tape surrounds the area of a random shooting in Kalamazoo, Mich. The jury selection process is starting Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in southwestern Michigan in the fatal shootings of six people nearly three years ago. Jason Dalton is charged with murder and attempted murder for the 2016 random killings in the Kalamazoo area while he was driving around for Uber. (AP Photo/Jeff Karoub, File) </s> SAN FRANCISCO, March 21 (Reuters) - Police in Arizona on Wednesday released a short video of a fatal collision between an Uber self-driving vehicle and a pedestrian, as an investigation continues into the accident that has put new focus on the safety of autonomous vehicles.

The video, taken from inside the Volvo sport utility vehicle that Uber has used for testing, shows the vehicle driving along a dark road when an image of a woman walking a bicycle across the road appears in the headlights.

The woman, Elaine Herzberg, 49, later died from her injuries.

Police have released few details about the accident that occurred Sunday night in Tempe, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix, while the car was driving in autonomous mode. Uber suspended its self-driving testing in North America after the incident.

The video shows the vehicle traveling in the right hand lane of a divided four-lane roadway. It is dark but the vehicle's headlights are on. Suddenly, the headlights illuminate a woman directly in front of the car who is crossing the car's lane with her bike.

A photo released by safety regulators on Tuesday of the vehicle showed that the impact occurred on the right side of the vehicle.

The video also shows the driver at the wheel, who appears to be looking down. Just before the video stops, the driver looks up and suddenly looks shocked.
Uber reaches an out-of-court settlement with the victim's family.