Toyota followed in Uber’s footsteps Tuesday, pausing tests of its driverless car system “Chauffeur”.
The decision came even after authorities said Uber was “likely not at fault” for one of its autonomous vehicles striking and killing a pedestrian in Tempe, Ariz., on Sunday. Still, it’s a move one advocacy group exec likely agrees with.
“Is getting them out faster the best idea, or is getting them out right the best idea?” Center for Auto Safety executive director Jason Levine told Cheddar before the Toyota news broke.
Police investigating the Uber incident claim the car, in self-driving mode with a human behind the wheel, was travelling at 38 mph and made no attempt to brake when a woman walked onto the street.
But the pedestrian “came from the shadows right into the roadway,” according to Tempe’s Police Chief, making the accident difficult to avoid in any case.
It was the first known fatality caused by a self-driving car, prompting Uber to halt its own pilot programs and raising questions about the future of the nascent technology, with many calling for a slowdown in development.
“There should be some step between the computer lab, the completely controlled test track, and releasing them into the communities,” said Levine.
The pace of development in this space is moving at a speed that makes it hard to build regulations and safety procedures, he added.
“There, right now, are no regulations before putting these things on the road...there’s no pre-investigation or examination of whether the technology meets the same standards as a non-self-driving vehicle.”
Autonomous cars have been seen as the futuristic antidote to the tens of thousands of deaths caused by traffic accident deaths every year in the U.S. So far the technology’s track record suggests the error levels are far lower than in traditional autos.
The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the Uber incident.
The Mobile World Congress is underway in Barcelona this week. The annual global trade show is showcasing the latest advancements in mobile and other progressive technologies.
Katie Collins, Senior European Correspondent, CNET joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to break down the latest announcements.
NerdWallet reported strong fiscal Q4 results in its first earnings report as a publicly traded company. The personal finance company saw revenue increase 75 percent year-over-year as the company witnessed a rebound in consumer demand as the pandemic wanes. Tim Chen, Founder & CEO, NerdWallet joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Kraft Heinz is launching a new joint venture with NotCo, a Chilean startup that creates plant-based substitutes using artificial intelligence. The goal is to reimagine global food production and bring plant-based versions of Kraft Heinz products to market at a faster speed, all while driving sustainability. Matias Muchnik, CEO and Co-Founder of NotCo, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the partnership, NotCo's technology, and his response to the backlash against the ingredients in meatless meat.
Uber is rolling out a new feature on its app called Explore that will allow users to discover things to do in their area such as dining. The new service is now available in 14 U.S. cities.
Traci Gusher, EY Americas data and analytics leader, joins Cheddar News to discuss how companies have made strides within data and analytics throughout the pandemic and what the chief information officers of today need to focus on and dedicate resources to.
World leaders are currently dealing with a handful of pressing issues, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine, inflation, and not to mention the COVID-19 pandemic; but it could be argued that the most pressing issue is one that has experienced its fair share of neglect in the past -- climate change. As tensions escalate between Russia and Ukraine, there is fear the focus on climate will once again be pushed aside. However, the White House appears to be making some effort to prevent that from happening. The White House Office of Science and Technology held a first-of-its-kind roundtable discussion with some of the nation's leading climate scientists on Thursday. Michael Mann, Director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University, and author of the book 'The New Climate War' joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss his experience as one of the climate scientists at the White House event.
U.S. stocks rebounded to end higher on Thursday after President Biden announced new sanctions against Russia following the country's attack on Ukraine. The Dow was down 859 points at its lowest point of the session, before ultimately finishing the day in the green. Melissa Armo, founder and owner of the Stock Swoosh, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
