Uber Backup Driver Admits Guilt In 1st-Ever Autonomous Car Death — But Defense Feels Blame Should Be Shared - Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER)

Rafaela Vasquez, the backup driver of an Uber Technologies UBER self-driving vehicle involved in a fatal collision in 2018, pled guilty to endangerment. The landmark case marked the first fatality with a fully autonomous car, raising questions about responsibility in such accidents. Vasquez told police that Herzberg "came out of nowhere" and that she didn't see Herzberg before the March 18, 2018, collision on a darkened Tempe street. See Also: How to Buy Uber StockWhy It Matters: Prosecutors previously declined to file criminal charges against Uber, as a corporation. However, in May 2023, Waymo announced a multi-year partnership with Uber that will help users hail an autonomous Waymo ride via the Uber app in Phoenix starting later this year.