Google's self-driving vehicles have logged millions of hours on public roadways. Also have been involved in a handful of traffic accidents. Though Google says its autonomous vehicles have never been at fault in any of the accidents.
Google has prided itself on the fact that its self-driving car fleet has never been responsible for any of its crashes — they've always been caused by another (decidedly more human) force. That claim have finally been faulted.
According to a California DMV filing first reported by writer Mark Harris, one of Google's self-driving Lexus SUVs drove into the side of a bus at low speed.
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Here's the full description of the incident from the report:
A Google Lexus-model autonomous vehicle ("Google AV") was traveling in autonomous mode eastbound on El Camino Real in Mountain View in the far right-hand lane approaching the Castro St. intersection. As the Google AV approached the intersection, it signaled its intent to make a right turn on red onto Castro St. The Google AV then moved to the right-hand side of the lane to pass traffic in the same lane that was stopped at the intersection and proceeding straight. However, the Google AV had to come to a stop and go around sandbags positioned around a storm drain that were blocking its path. When the light turned green, traffic in the lane continued past the Google AV. After a few cars had passed, the Google AV began to proceed back into the center of the lane to pass the sand bags. A public transit bus was approaching from behind. The Google AV test driver saw the bus approaching in the left side mirror but believed the bus would stop or slow to allow the Google AV to continue. Approximately three seconds later, as the Google AV was reentering the center of the lane it made contact with the side of the bus. The Google AV was operating in autonomous mode and traveling at less than 2 mph, and the bus was travelling at about 15 mph at the time of contact.
The Google AV sustained body damage to the left front fender, the left front wheel and one of its driver’s -side sensors. There were no injuries reported at the scene.The Verge has obtained an excerpt from Google's next monthly self-driving report, which is due to be released tomorrow. In it, Google says the car assumed that the bus would yield when it attempted to merge back into traffic:
