Uber Fatal Autonomous Vehicle Intersection Mill Avenue, just south of Curry Road
This intersection looks dangerous from a satellite image based on the fact that there are no crosswalk lines and a walking path that basically invites you to cross the road. See the image above and below. We can't confirm that this was the exact location of the fatal accident but I would bet this is the exact cause based on the information shared we have gathered. Why is this path even here?
After a review of the Uber video, we can confirm that the woman crossing the street was likely using this false crosswalk. Notice where the dotted white lines begin. We will use this as a reference point below in the photos.
Video Screen Shot Just Before The Uber Vehicle Hit The Pedestrian
Video of Uber Self-Driving Car Crash in Tempe
Looking Towards Path in Median
Why Is This Walking Path in the Middle of the Road?
Same Spot As Tempe Accident
Uber Accident in Tempe
The accident occurred Sunday evening at about 10 p.m. when an Uber self-driving vehicle struck a pedestrian on Mill Avenue, just south of Curry Road, according to the Tempe Police Department. The vehicle was in autonomous mode at the time of the collision, with a vehicle operator behind the wheel, police told Fortune.
The female pedestrian, who has been identified by police as 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg, was walking outside of a crosswalk when she was struck by the Uber self-driving vehicle. She was transported to a local area hospital where she passed away from her injuries. The intersection is near Marquee Theater, a popular music venue and about 1.5 mile north of the Arizona State University campus.
Here is more background on the victim Herzberg who has had some issues with the law.
Having jaywalked outside the Marquee Theater many times myself as an undergrad, I can say that this part of Tempe suffers from a serious road design problem.https://t.co/xtxxoAkFeT— Geoff Boeing (@gboeing) March 19, 2018