
Uber driver was streaming Hulu just before self-driving car crash: police report - paulashbourne
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-selfdriving-crash/uber-driver-was-streaming-hulu-show-just-before-self-driving-car-crash-police-report-idUSKBN1JI0LB
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imtyler
Isn't the system specifically designed with 'disengagement' in mind? It leaves
the driver with nothing to do. Let's not pretend that sitting there for hours
with nothing to do isn't uncomfortable. It would be unusual not to seek out
something to engage one's self.

I can't fully fault the driver here. It's the system.

~~~
sitkack
I came to say it is a failure of Uber to have a insufficient experimental
protocol that ensures that drivers stay attentive. Breaks, cycling between
engagement and disengagement as well as internal system status clearly
displayed (dashboard LEDs, not a text based screen) should be designed around
keeping the driver alert.

Uber will of course claim that the driver's specific job was to ensure safety
of passengers and pedestrians while putting the bulk of the responsibility on
Vasquez. The blame ratios in this case are way over 1.

Why is it important that we [[know this]] ?

> Herzberg, [[who was homeless]], was walking her bicycle across the street,

I feel like I am supposed to care less with this fact.

~~~
jaclaz
>Why is it important that we [[know this]] ?

Because we are supposed to believe that the life of a homeless has _somehow_
less value than any other human life and/or that _probably_ (because she was
homeless) she was a bit nuts and acted recklessly or however without the same
attention/carefulness that is proper for non-homeless (please read as
"normal") people.

It is easy to see the "hey, but she unlawfully and suddenly crossed the road
at a location other than a marked crosswalk" sort of defense by Uber (besides
putting the blame on Vasquez).

BTW, it doesn't seem to exist "full" evidence Vasquez was actually watching
the streaming, I mean, maybe (just maybe) she was just listening to it, like
anyone would listen to the radio or a playing MP3 while driving.

The first thing I would make compulsory would be a sort of heads-up display,
so that there couldn't be any possible reason why a driver would actually look
down for 5 seconds.

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craftyguy
From yesterday:

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17372773](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17372773)

