Arizona governor bans further Uber self-driving car testing

The Governor of Arizona has banned Uber from further testing its self-driving cars in the US state. The decision follows a fatal accident that killed a 49-year-old woman.

Arizona is a key testing ground for Uber, according to Reuters, where about half of its 200 self-driving cars are on the road. The governor, Doug Ducey, announced his decision in a letter to Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. In it, he writes that he finds the previously released video of the accident “disturbing and alarming” by police and that it raises questions about Uber’s continuation of its program in Arizona.

He further states that his priority is public safety and that Uber has not demonstrated that this is also the company’s priority. That is why he would withdraw permission for tests with autonomous cars. The letter does not contain any information indicating that this is a temporary measure.

According to Reuters, Uber had moved its self-driving cars from San Francisco to Arizona when it turned out that the company did not have the proper permits. The company said in a response that it will “continue to have a dialogue with the governor.”

An Uber car was involved in an accident that killed a 49-year-old woman. According to an initial analysis by the police, this accident would have been difficult to prevent. Recently, New York Times documents revealed that Uber’s autonomous mode has been plagued with flaws for some time. For example, the company struggled to achieve the target of having to intervene no more than once every 21 kilometers.