https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/19/tech/uber-crash-ntsb/index.

html
investigation

Washington, DC (CNN Business)A federal investigation into a fatal crash involving

an Uber self-driving car concluded the probable cause was a safety driver
distracted by their phone. The National Transportation Safety Board investigation
also determined that an inadequate safety culture at Uber (UBER) contributed to the
March 2018 crash in Tempe, Arizona.

Investigators described it as an avoidable crash during a board meeting in

Washington, DC, Tuesday. The investigators found that an alert vehicle operator
would have had two to four seconds to detect and avoid pedestrian Elaine Herzberg,
who was crossing a street when struck by Uber's self-driving vehicle.

The test driver behind the wheel of Uber's self-driving car was supposed to
intervene if the autonomous driving software failed. But the driver was glancing
away from the road during 34% of the fatal trip, including 23 glances in the final
three minutes before the crash, according to the investigation. A camera in the car
recorded the driver.

The NTSB found that Uber had no safety plan for its self-driving operation, or
equivalent guiding document at the time of the crash. Uber's self-driving software
wasn't designed to expect that pedestrians outside crosswalks may be crossing the
street. The board also said Uber lacked appropriate oversight for vehicle
operators.

"This is about one fatality, but it's about a lot more than that," NTSB chairman
Robert Sumwalt told reporters afterward. "We felt by focusing on this we could have
much broader ramifications for improving safety."

The NTSB made safety recommendations to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, the state of Arizona and the American Association of Motor Vehicle
Administrators. It called on the NHTSA to require companies testing self-driving
vehicles to submit a safety self-assessment report to the agency, and a plan for
evaluating the reports.

Jennifer Homendy, an NTSB board member, described a "major failing" of the federal
government to regulate the testing of self-driving vehicles. NHTSA has released
guidelines for self-driving vehicles, which it calls a "Vision for Safety."
"They should rename it a 'vision for lax safety,'" Homendy said. "In my opinion,
they've put technology advancement before saving lives."

NHTSA said in a statement that it welcomed NTSB's report and will carefully review
it.

NTSB also recommended that Arizona require self-driving companies to submit an

application before testing autonomous vehicles.

Uber expressed remorse in a statement and that it would continue to improve the
safety of its self-driving program.

"Over the last 20 months, we have provided the NTSB with complete access to
information about our technology and the developments we have made since the
crash," said Nat Beuse, who leads safety efforts in Uber's self-driving division.
"While we are proud of our progress, we will never lose sight of what brought us
here or our responsibility to continue raising the bar on safety."

Uber settled with the victim's family shortly after the death.
The NTSB spoke highly of Uber's willingness to contribute to the investigation.
Sumwalt contrasted Uber's approach with Tesla. NTSB ended Tesla's participation in
an investigation last year after Tesla released information about a crash before
NTSB confirmed the information.
"I appreciate the way Uber has been a good party," he said. "I did notice that when
I talked to their CEO, he did not hang up on me."