Uber
Uber has been named in 5 documented digital harm incidents, including 4 fatalities. The most common harm domain is Autonomous Systems.
Documented Incidents
5Former Uber self-driving head nearly killed when Tesla FSD failed to stop for obstacle
Uber’s former head of self-driving, Raffi Krikorian, now Mozilla’s CTO, nearly died while using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. He described the incident in an article for The Atlantic. Tesla’s FSD system functions well most of the time, according to the company’s data, but Krikorian argues this near-flawless performance can lull human drivers into a false sense of security. The incident has led him to reconsider the relationship between humans and autonomous systems. The article highlights concerns about the risks of relying on systems that are "almost perfect," which may reduce human vigilance.
Xiaomi SU7 autonomous vehicle crash kills three university students in China
On March 29, 2025, a Xiaomi SU7 autonomous vehicle collided with a concrete barrier in China, killing three university students. The vehicle was traveling at approximately 97 km/h, and the emergency braking system failed after the driver attempted to regain manual control. An investigation identified the lack of lidar sensors and ineffective automated braking as key contributors, and Xiaomi accepted responsibility, cooperating with authorities while its market value fell by over $16 billion.
Waymo driverless robotaxi involved in first fatal U.S. crash in San Francisco
A Waymo robotaxi stopped at a traffic light was rear‑ended in a multi‑vehicle collision at the intersection of 6th and Harrison Streets in San Francisco, resulting in the death of a passenger in another vehicle and a dog, and injuring seven others. This marks the first fatal incident in the United States involving a fully autonomous vehicle with no human driver present. Authorities, including the San Francisco Police Department and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are investigating the crash, while Waymo maintains the autonomous car was not at fault. The incident highlights safety and regulatory concerns surrounding driverless car deployments.
49-year-old woman struck and killed by Uber self-driving vehicle in Tempe, Arizona
Uber shut down its self-driving operations and autonomous vehicle (AV) research in Arizona in May 2018 following a fatal crash in Tempe on March 18, 2018, in which a pedestrian was struck and killed by an Uber AV. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey ordered an indefinite suspension of Uber’s AV testing in the state after reviewing video footage of the incident, which showed the safety driver not paying attention to the road. The shutdown affected around 200 employees in Arizona, many of whom were safety drivers. Uber stated it would continue AV research in Pittsburgh and San Francisco but would adopt a more limited testing approach once proper permits and safety improvements were in place. The incident and subsequent actions had significant implications for Uber’s AV initiatives and its reputation in the autonomous vehicle industry.
Uber Autonomous Vehicle Fatally Strikes Pedestrian in Arizona
In March 2018, an autonomous Uber SUV struck and killed pedestrian Elaine Herzberg in Tempe, Arizona. The backup driver, Rafaela Vasquez, was charged with negligent homicide after being found distracted by her phone and failing to monitor the vehicle. This incident marked one of the first known fatalities involving an autonomous vehicle in the United States.