Self-driving vehicle tests stopped after fatality

Autonomous vehicle tests have been stopped by Uber Technologies after one of its cars collided with a woman pedestrian who died of her injuries in Tempe, Arizona.

It’s reportedly the first known pedestrian death involving an autonomous vehicle.

Tempe Police say the Uber vehicle was in autonomous mode at the time of the collision on March 18 at about 10pm, with a vehicle operator behind the wheel.

The woman was walking outside of a crosswalk (pedestrian crossing) across the road from west to east when she was struck, police say.

Police say Uber is assisting and the investigation is continuing.

Uber has suspended its autonomous car testing nationwide while the crash is investigated, Bloomberg reports.

“Our hearts go out to the victim’s family,” a Uber spokeswoman told Bloomberg. “We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident.”