The NHTSA has opened an investigation into Cruise self-driving cars after four separate incidents that injured pedestrians in San Francisco.
“The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating four incidents involving autonomous Cruise vehicles and pedestrians in San Francisco,” writes Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive.
The ‘preliminary’ evaluation comes on the heels of two reports of pedestrian injuries and two other incidents posted online. “In the most recent incident on Oct. 2 in San Francisco, a woman was struck by a hit-and-run driver and thrown into the path of a driverless Cruise vehicle unable to stop in time to avoid hitting her. She suffered traumatic injuries after being pinned under the Cruise vehicle, a Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle, according to news reports.” Another Cruise vehicle hit a pedestrian at low speed in a crosswalk.
Since Cruise first deployed its fleet of driverless cars in San Francisco, city officials have asked the state to slow its rollout, citing multiple incidents of autonomous cars blocking traffic, impeding public transit, and driving into emergency response areas.
Read the full story: Cruise faces federal investigation after driverless robotaxi severely injures pedestrian
Tesla Found Partly Liable in Fatal Autopilot Crash
The Miami ruling is the first to find the company partly responsible in a crash that killed one pedestrian and injured another.
Waymo Robotaxis Often Fail to Stop for Pedestrians
One journalist recorded more than a dozen instances of Waymo autonomous cars speeding by when he tried to cross the street.
California Grounds Cruise Autonomous Fleet
In the wake of serious pedestrian injuries and a federal investigation, state agencies have barred the driverless taxi company from continuing to operate.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment
The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.
Satanic Place Names
From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.
California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal
Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.
Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states
Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority