LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A crash involving a Zoox robotaxi occurred on the Las Vegas Strip on Friday morning, drawing attention to driverless vehicle safety.
According to Zoox, the collision involved their vehicle and another car, which had no passengers at the time. The company is investigating the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
UNLV Professor Brendan Morris, an expert in autonomous vehicles, noted that crashes alone don't indicate the cause. He explained that these vehicles utilize cameras and sensors, such as lidar, to map their surroundings and make driving decisions.
Morris pointed out the challenges of integrating autonomous vehicles with unpredictable human drivers, stating, “We don't know exactly how well any individual company is able to recognize the unexpected.”
At the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Four Seasons, the Zoox vehicle displayed minimal visible damage. Morris highlighted that autonomous vehicles continuously gather data before and during incidents, which could clarify their responses.
He cautioned against using external damage as a measure of passenger safety, noting, “The amount of damage that you see is not necessarily an indication of how bad it is for the internal passengers.”
For those considering rides in driverless vehicles, Morris mentioned that they might pause or pull over if faced with unresolved situations.