Alphabet's Waymo CEO Confident Its Self-Driving Tech Could Avoid Uber-like Accident

By Adrienne Roberts 

LAS VEGAS -- The head of Google-parent Alphabet Inc.'s self-driving car unit said he is confident its technology would be able to spot someone crossing the street, avoiding an accident such as the one in which an Uber Technologies Inc. self-driving car struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona.

Waymo Chief Executive John Krafcik, speaking at the National Automobile Dealers Association Show, said the March 18 Uber accident struck a chord with him because the "car had technology representing the self-driving space."

Police in Tempe, Ariz., said the Uber vehicle was in autonomous mode with a human safety operator at the wheel when it hit 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg while she was walking her bicycle outside of a crosswalk. The woman later died from her injuries.

In comparison to Uber's technology, Mr. Krafcik said he has "a lot of confidence" that Waymo's self-driving system "would be robust and able to handle situations like that," noting that self-driving vehicles with Waymo technology have driven more than 5 million miles on public roadways.

Asked to comment on Mr. Krafcik's remarks, the first from Waymo since the accident, Uber said "safety is our primary concern every step of the way." The company added that it is "heartbroken by what happened" in Arizona and it continues to assist investigators.

Write to Adrienne Roberts at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 24, 2018 21:02 ET (01:02 GMT)

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