The crash of an Uber Volvo in Tempe, Arizona has dragged a regulatory spotlight back onto self-driving cars. The Uber car, in driverless mode, ended up on its side after being shunted by a Honda that was turning left. Such incidents bring the hype surrounding automotive autonomy bouncing back to earth. But they also remind us of the need for smart regulation.
The true believers at Wired magazine used the crash as another illustration of human incompetence and called for for an acceleration of self-driving. As with almost all crashes involving self-driving cars, it appears that the humans were legally at fault. However, casting the blame when computers mix with humans is not easy, and can impede opportunities for social learning. (For Uber, the crash could also have been an opportunity to take responsibility and change its frat boy narrative).
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