Zoox Self-Driving Car Collision Under Investigation in San Francisco
▼ Summary
– A Zoox autonomous vehicle crashed into the open door of a parked 1977 Cadillac in San Francisco on January 17, injuring the Cadillac owner’s hand.
– The Zoox robotaxi was carrying a passenger, a Zoox employee who was not injured, at the time of the crash.
– Both the San Francisco Police Department and the California DMV are investigating the incident, with Zoox filing required reports and cooperating with authorities.
– Zoox stated the crash occurred when the Cadillac’s door was suddenly opened into its path and its vehicle attempted but failed to avoid contact.
– This incident follows recent software recalls for Zoox’s robotaxis, which are in an early public testing phase in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
A recent collision involving a Zoox autonomous vehicle in San Francisco is under active investigation by local police, highlighting the ongoing challenges of integrating self-driving technology into complex urban environments. The incident occurred on January 17th near the intersection of 15th and Mission Streets, drawing attention to the safety protocols and regulatory oversight governing robotaxi services.
According to initial reports, the Zoox robotaxi was traveling along 15th Street when a man named Jamel Durden opened the driver’s-side door of his parked 1977 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. The autonomous vehicle struck the door, reportedly smashing Durden’s hand and sustaining damage to its own glass doors. A key detail confirmed by authorities is that the Zoox vehicle was carrying a passenger at the time, identified by the company as an employee who was not injured.
The San Francisco Police Department has stated the investigation remains open and has declined to release an incident report. Zoox has filed its own required crash report with both the police and the California Department of Motor Vehicles, the state body that regulates autonomous vehicles. The company has emphasized its full cooperation with officials to provide a complete account of what happened.
In its statement regarding the event, Zoox described the scenario, noting that Durden “suddenly opened” his car door into the path of the robotaxi. The company asserted its vehicle’s systems identified the opening door and attempted to avoid it, but contact was ultimately unavoidable. Zoox also stated it offered medical attention to Durden, who allegedly declined until after his vehicle was towed from the scene.
This incident occurs as Zoox, which is owned by Amazon, continues its limited public rollout in San Francisco and Las Vegas. The company launched its “Zoox Explorer” early-rider program in November, offering free rides to selected members of the public. This expansion has not been without previous issues; Zoox issued a recall in December to address a software problem that caused some vehicles to cross center lanes and block crosswalks. The company had also implemented other software updates earlier in the year prior to commencing public rides.
The investigation by the SFPD and the review by the DMV will scrutinize the performance of the autonomous driving system in this specific circumstance. As robotaxi services expand their presence in cities, such events are closely watched by regulators, the public, and the industry itself, all seeking to balance innovation with paramount safety concerns on public roads.
(Source: TechCrunch)
