Arizona Governor Suspends Uber Test License Indefinitely

After the fatal crash with a self-driving experimental vehicle by Uber, the governor of Arizona Doug Ducey has ordered the indefinite suspension of Uber’s autonomous test permit. Ducey gave as a reason the lack of reliability of Uber’s technology and the focus on safety for Arizona citizens.

With this step the governor pivots 180 degree after an enthusiastic welcome only 15 months earlier, when Uber was in an open conflict with California. After California’s threat of legal actions Uber decided to pull all vehicles out of the state and moved to Arizona.

My Take

Event that I am fully supporting this step, believing that Uber has shown reckless behavior, I see as much blame with the governor who praised his state as ideal test area for self-driving technology companies. Putting “safety concerns” for the population as a main reason for his decision should have come 15 months earlier and now appears only to be hypocritical.

This article has also been published in German.

6 Comments

  1. So first we have Tempe police leaking evidence in an ongoing investigation and then a knee-jerk reaction from the Governor to suspend Uber’s licence indefinitely?
    It looks to me like Waymo is trying to eradicate it’s competition here.

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