Autonomous Vehicles at a Crossroads

The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. There are vast resources currently being spent to transform it into something more efficient, greener, and safer. Many think that the technology behind autonomous, self-driving vehicles, will be a key piece to how we get around in the not-so-distant future. Looking at the size of the companies diving into the autonomous automobile space, from Google and Apple to Über and General Motors, it seems these self-driving vehicles are coming whether we like the idea of it or not. But what happens when someone gets killed by one of these vehicles? Sadly, that question is about to be answered, as an Arizona woman was killed just this week by an autonomous vehicle owned and operated by the ride-hailing company, Über. Today on Sea Change Radio, we discuss the fatal crash and what it means for the autonomous vehicle industry with Reuters Transportation and Technology reporter, Alexandria Sage. She talks about the details of the accident, the blowback to the industry, and what it may mean for the future of this transportation innovation.