Two Cruise taxis delayed an ambulance carrying a car accident victim to a hospital, a department report said. The company said it was not at fault.

Two Cruise driverless taxis blocked an ambulance carrying a critically injured patient who later died at a hospital, a San Francisco Fire Department report said, in another incident involving self-driving cars in the city.

On Aug. 14, two Cruise autonomous vehicles were stopped in the right two lanes of a four-lane, one-way street in the SoMa neighborhood, where the victim was found, according to the department report. It said that a police vehicle in another lane had to be moved in order for the ambulance to leave.

  • @malloc@lemmy.worldEnglish
    34•1 year ago

    In order to save lives, USA needs to get off car centric transportation. More cars is not the solution. Neither is automating them in urban and dense environments. AVs belong on the highways only.

    We are trying to solve a problem with “tech” that has been a solved problem by other countries for decades. Netherlands is a great example of how to move people around efficiently without using cars as the primary mode of transportation. Amazing public transportation. Towns and cities designed around alternative forms of transportation such as walking, or biking. Infrastructure is cheaper to maintain since it lasts longer and is not constantly pounded on by multi ton vehicles.

    • @acceptable_pumpkin@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6•1 year ago

      Combined with e-bikes to “flatten” hills and make distance traveling easier, we could really make some amazing improvements to city design.

    • GhostalmediaEnglish
      5•1 year ago

      I agree that the US actually needs more public transport. Fatalities aside, that’s often going to be the best solution for congestion and climate change. Congestion alone in SF is still a fucking nightmare. SF is small as fuck, but driving across that town between 3 and 7pm can take 1-2 hours.

      As a local, I feel like the current state of MUNI, BART, CalTrans, AC Transit, and cycling are not going to be a good fit for EVERY single use case. If I’m injured, am carrying bulky stuff, or am trying to hit up a part of town that would take too long with public transport, an AV EV could be a good solution.

      I usually try to avoid cars in SF. They’re often more trouble than they’re worth. But, there are times, IMHO, when cars solve a current route and use case better than alternative solutions. And it if they’re still going to be used for certain use cases, it would be nice if they killed fewer people.

      • Flying Squid
        2•1 year ago

        If I’m injured, am carrying bulky stuff, or am trying to hit up a part of town that would take too long with public transport, an AV EV could be a good solution.

        Why not a car share instead? Or just an Uber?

        • GhostalmediaEnglish
          -3•1 year ago

          Because the goal is to have an Uber that removes human error.

            • GhostalmediaEnglish
              2•1 year ago

              It very much is, but the errors are different. An AV isn’t going to get distracted by their phone, by an argument, by rubbernecking, etc. But an AV might encounter something that the sensor AI is confused by, and the cars might Mitch McConnell themselves in the middle of the road. So far at-fault accidents are way down with the AVs, but stalls are way up.

    • @joshhsoj1902@lemmy.ca
      2•1 year ago

      Driverless cars could really help solve the “last mile” issue in many transit systems.

      I dislike taking transit because I have to take one unpredictable bus from my house to the train, take the train the majority of the distance, then take another unpredictable bus to my destination.

      The issue of infrequent buses through neighborhoods isn’t going to be solved anytime soon. But if I could take an electric driverless car from my house to the train I would be a lote more likely to take public transit over just taking my existing car.

    • @bobman@unilem.org
      -1•1 year ago

      US will never stop using cars in the foreseeable future.

      There may be an argument for major cities, but not for the rest of the nation.

      That said, it’s way safer driving outside of major cities. Fewer pedestrians, fewer cars, more space. It’s also more efficient.

      Saying “get away from cars” just screams to me that you live in a major city and think life outside of one doesn’t matter.