Google Self Drive Car Hits Bus

For the first time, a Google self-driving car has caused a crash.

16:57 01 March 2016

One of Google’s self-driving cars crashed into a bus in California last month. Although this is not the first time that such car got involved in an accident, this is the first time that it caused one.

 

The incident took place on 14 February when the car pulled out in front of a public bus going 15mph. There were no injuries.

 

The person inside the Google vehicle said that he did not override the car’s self-driving computer because he assumed that the bus would slow down while the car was getting out.

 

Google is set to meet with California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to discuss the incident and to determine where the fault lies.

 

In a statement, Google said: "We clearly bear some responsibility, because if our car hadn't moved, there wouldn't have been a collision.

 

"That said, our test driver believed the bus was going to slow or stop to allow us to merge into the traffic, and that there would be sufficient space to do that."

 

Meanwhile, the DMV has made a report about the incident. It reads: "The Google AV [autonomous vehicle] test driver saw the bus approaching in the left side mirror but believed the bus would stop or slow to allow the Google AV to continue.”

 

"Approximately three seconds later, as the Google AV was re-entering the centre of the lane it made contact with the side of the bus.

 

"The Google AV was operating in autonomous mode and travelling at less than two mph, and the bus was travelling at about 15mph at the time of contact."