Uber Suspends Driverless Car Program After Pedestrian Is Struck and Killed

Incident in Tempe, Ariz., is believed to be the first such fatality from a driverless vehicle.

A self-driving car from Uber Technologies Inc. struck a woman who died Monday in Tempe, Ariz., local police say, in what is believed to be the first known fatality of a pedestrian from a driverless vehicle.

Following the accident overnight, Uber is temporarily pulling its self-driving cars off the roads in Tempe, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Toronto, where it is testing them, a spokeswoman said. She said Uber is investigating the incident and cooperating with authorities.

The Uber vehicle, which included a human driver to assist, struck a woman who later died from her injuries, according to Tempe police. More details are expected after an investigation is concluded.

“Some incredibly sad news out of Arizona,” wrote Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi on Twitter Monday. “We’re thinking of the victim’s family as we work with local law enforcement to understand what happened.”