Motorcyclist Sues General Motors Over Crash With Self-Driving Car
A man from San Francisco is suing General Motors following a crash between his motorcycle and a self-driving Chevrolet Bolt.
The accident took place on the morning of December 7, 2017 in San Francisco, California. A self-driving 2016 Chevrolet Bolt began to make a lane change from the left to the center lane. He then changed his mind, at which point he slid back into the center lane and collided with a motorcycle that was passing on the ride side. The motorcycle and the ride had both fallen to the ground.
The police report from the accident puts the motorcyclist at fault for passing when it was not safe to do so. General Motors agrees with the authorities.
Popular Science reports that this accident triggered a lawsuit against General Motors for more than $75,000 . According to the actual suit the 27-year-old plaintiff, Oscar Willhelm Nilsson, had to take a disability leave, because he “suffered injuries to his neck and shoulder and will require lengthy treatment.”
This latest accident involving a self-driving car certainly raises even more concern about the new technology we are seeing on our streets and highways.
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Having more driverless vehicles on the road could mean a lot more crashes involving them. According to the DMV, autonomous car crashes in California state have nearly doubled from 2016 to 2017.
Billy Riggs, an assistant professor at the University of San Francisco, specializes in self-driving technology. He told ABC7 News that these crashes are bound to happen. He says that automakers and cities both need to work together to design roads that can accommodate these types of autonomous cars to avoid accidents.
"“Statistically, we know that these vehicles do drive safer but we know that, particularly for vulnerable users, whether you’re in a wheelchair or in a bike, pedestrian or motorcyclist, any of these users are going to be more difficult for the technology to pick up on,” says Riggs."
In a statement, General Motors said,
"“Safety is our primary focus when it comes to developing and testing our self-driving technology. In this matter, the SFPD collision report stated that the motorcyclist merged into our lane before it was safe to do so.”"
Next: Self-Driving Toyota e-Palette Concept May Host Mazda Rotary Engine
See ABC7’s news segment surrounding the latest lawsuit involving an autonomous car below.
What does this mean for autonomous cars and the future? How can we co-exist both peacefully and safely? What are your overall thoughts about these types of vehicles and the recent incidents related to them? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.