Investigation says Self-driving Uber that killed a woman last year developed software problems, hence the accident

An Uber self-driving test vehicle that hit and killed a woman in 2018 had software problems, according to US safety investigators.

Elaine Herzberg, 49, was hit by the car as she crossed a road in Tempe, Arizona.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NSTB) found the car failed to properly identify her as a pedestrian.

The detailed findings raised a series of safety issues but did not determine the probable cause of the accident.


The safety board is expected to make that finding when it meets on 19 November.

The findings, released on Tuesday, may also be used to help shape recommendations for the developing autonomous driving industry. The sector has come under sharp scrutiny in the wake of the accident.

The fatal crash occurred in March 2018, and involved a Volvo XC90 that Uber had been using to test its self-driving technology.

Just before the crash, Ms Herzberg had been walking with a bicycle across a poorly lit stretch of a multi-lane road.