Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Uber's Self-Driving Vehicles Rely on Humans to Brake in Emergencies

A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board found that Uber does not enable the automatic braking feature while its self-driving test vehicles are under computer control to “reduce the potential for erratic vehicle behavior.”

May 24, 2018
Uber's Self-Driving Vehicles Rely on Humans to Brake in Emergencies

Uber self-driving system data playback from the fatal March 18, crash of an Uber test vehicle shows when, at 1.3 seconds before impact, the system determined emergency braking was needed to mitigate a collision. The yellow bands depict meters ahead of the vehicle, the orange lines show the center of mapped travel lanes, the purple area shows the path of the vehicle, and the green line depicts the center of that path. Photo courtesy of NTSB. 

3 min to read


The report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that Uber does not enable the automatic braking feature while its test vehicles are under computer control to “reduce the potential for erratic vehicle behavior.” Photo via NTSB/Wikimedia.

Photo via NTSB/Wikimedia.

A preliminary government report on the March fatal crash involving an Uber self-driving test vehicle and a pedestrian in Tempe, Ariz., shows that the vehicle’s manufacturer installed automatic emergency braking system was disabled at the time.

The report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that Uber does not enable the automatic braking feature while its test vehicles are under computer control to “reduce the potential for erratic vehicle behavior.”  Additionally, the safety system is not designed to alert the vehicle’s operator.

Ad Loading...

The San Francisco-based technology company confirmed this finding.

The test vehicle involved in the incident, a modified 2017 Volvo XC90, was operating with its self-driving system in computer control mode and had a vehicle safety operator inside it when the accident occurred. While the Volvo was factory equipped with a collision avoidance function, in addition to functions for detecting driver alertness and road sign information, all advanced driver assistance functions were disabled when it was put into computer control mode.

On the night of March 18, the vehicle and its safety operator were traveling a 43 mph. A pedestrian wearing dark clothes stepped into the roadway, about 360 feet south of the crosswalk. While the pedestrian was pushing a bicycle, it did not have any safety reflectors.


Related: Arizona Suspends Uber's Autonomous Vehicle Testing


“As the vehicle and pedestrian paths converged, the self-driving system software classified the pedestrian as an unknown object, as a vehicle, and then as a bicycle with varying expectations of future travel path,” the report says, in part. “At 1.3 seconds before impact, the self-driving system determined that emergency braking was needed to mitigate a collision.”

Ad Loading...

Data from the Volvo shows that the safety operator engaged with the steering wheel less than a second before impact and began braking less than a second after impact.

 “The vehicle operator said in an NTSB interview that she had been monitoring the self-driving interface and that while her personal and business phones were in the vehicle neither were in use until after the crash,” the report says.

Since the NTSB report is preliminary, it does not contain any probably cause for the accident.

After the initial accident, Uber indefinitely halted all self-driving vehicle testing across the country. Yesterday, Uber revealed to its Arizona employees that it will be shuttering its autonomous vehicle test program in the state, following mounting public pressure.

In an email, an Uber executive told employees that the company will be focusing on testing vehicles in Pittsburg and San Francisco, but in a “much more limited way.”

Ad Loading...

Currently, Uber does not have the approval of the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test its autonomous cars in the state.


Related: Uber to End Self-Driving Vehicle Testing in Arizona



Originally posted on Auto Rental News

More Safety

A shot of a Volvo electric vehicle with a man charging it in front of a residence.
SponsoredAugust 1, 2026

Top 50 Executive Fleets

It is that time of year again! Time for the 2026 list of the Top 50 Executive Fleets, presented by Automotive Fleet and Volvo as part of its annual Fleet 500. Download now to see this year's list of companies!

Read More →
Promotional graphic for a Utilimarc guide titled How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48% featuring a call-to-action to download the guide.
SponsoredJuly 17, 2026

How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48%

Fleet leaders don't need more data, they need clearer visibility into what the data is saying. This case study explores how one utility replaced speeding-event counts with a single metric — miles driven in violation — to strengthen safety and significantly reduce speeding violations.

Read More →
Smiling commercial truck driver gives a thumbs-up from inside a tractor cab during Operation Safe Driver Week 2026, highlighting fleet safety, responsible driving and enforcement awareness.
Safetyby Judie NuskeyJuly 16, 2026

Operation Safe Driver Week: Why the Industry's Oldest Safety Campaign Still Matters to Fleets

A look at how a 2007 enforcement initiative became one of the most consequential weeks on the fleet safety calendar, and what it means for your drivers in 2026.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Nexar and nauto logos
Safetyby StaffJuly 13, 2026

Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset

Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.

Read More →
A black square with white color font text
SponsoredJuly 2, 2026

From Silos to Solutions: Relationship Management for Safer Fleets

From telematics adoption and driver accountability to policy consistency and risk mitigation, this episode breaks down what it really takes to build a safer fleet culture without slowing business down.

Read More →
IIHS HLDI text overlaid on the trunks of pick up trucks.
Safetyby Chris BrownJuly 2, 2026

IIHS Launches First Commercial Vehicle Safety Evaluations

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has begun evaluating heavy-duty pickups and cargo vans for driver protection. Which models earned top marks?

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A blue and white Automotive Fleet podcast logo
SafetyJuly 1, 2026

Reducing Risk by Eliminating Phone Use Behind the Wheel

Hosted with the cofounder of Lifesaver Mobile, this episode addresses phone use behind the wheel and how to design a driving environment that actually helps prevents accidents.

Read More →
Two people sit across from each other at a desk during a business meeting. One person, wearing a white shirt, has their hands folded while the other gestures with a pen toward documents clipped to a clipboard. Additional paperwork and a calculator are visible on the table, suggesting a discussion involving contracts, finances, or administrative paperwork. Sunlight filters through window blinds in the background, creating a professional office setting.
TelematicsJuly 1, 2026

Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-Time Prevention (Part 2 of 2)

Part Two: Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Continue learning more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab

Read More →
An Automotive Fleet podcast thumbnail
SafetyJune 26, 2026

How 5-Second Telematics Data Is Changing Fleet Safety

This episode connects with Steve Santostasi of Ford Pro and covers how a few seconds of data can make a difference in fleet safety.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Technician inspecting a vehicle engine during maintenance as fleets prepare for summer heat, focusing on battery health, cooling systems, and preventing downtime.
Maintenanceby Faith HowellJune 18, 2026

The Two Biggest Summer Downtime Threats for Fleets

A conversation with a maintenance expert reveals the two most common summer maintenance pains and how to prevent them.

Read More →