Title: Pedestrian Struck by Regular Car and Driverless Cruise Robotaxi in San Francisco Intersection
On Monday night, a horrifying incident unfolded in downtown San Francisco as a pedestrian was struck by both a regular car and a driverless Cruise robotaxi. The incident took place at a red light, where both vehicles were stopped before advancing once the light turned green. According to witness accounts and video evidence reviewed by The Washington Post, the pedestrian entered the traffic lanes as the cars moved forward and was hit by the regular car, then flung into the path of the autonomous vehicle.
The Cruise spokesperson, Hannah Lindow, stated that the autonomous vehicle attempted to minimize the impact by aggressively braking but was unable to avoid rolling over the woman before coming to a halt. Shocking photos published by the San Francisco Time.news depicted the victim with her leg protruding from underneath the left rear wheel of the driverless car.
Responding to the incident, San Francisco firefighters swiftly arrived at the scene and used the jaws of life to lift the car off the woman. She was then immediately transported to San Francisco General Hospital with multiple traumatic injuries. As of Tuesday afternoon, the victim remains in critical condition, according to hospital officials.
Reports indicate that once the Cruise car detected something beneath its rear axle, it automatically halted and turned on its hazard lights. Firefighters obstructed the sensors of the driverless car to notify the Cruise control center and representatives from Cruise promptly disabled the vehicle remotely.
Sgt. Kathryn Winters, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department, emphasized the importance of not moving a vehicle when someone is trapped underneath it, as it could potentially cause further injury. The vehicle must remain in place until all necessary evidence is gathered by the police, including the positioning of the vehicles involved before, during, and after the collision.
In a disturbing twist, the human driver responsible for striking the pedestrian fled the scene and has yet to be identified. The incident adds fuel to the ongoing debate surrounding the safety and reliability of autonomous vehicles, particularly in densely populated urban areas like San Francisco.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident, addressing the actions of both the regular car driver and the functionality of the Cruise robotaxi. The outcome of this investigation will likely have significant implications for the future usage and regulation of autonomous vehicles in the city.