Police released dash-cam video of the immediate moments before a self-driving Uber vehicle crashed and killed a woman in Tempe earlier this week.
Police released two clips, one showing a view outside the vehicle and one from a camera inside the car. Watch the video in the player above.
Viewer discretion: The video shows the immediate moments before the crash, including the woman walking with her bike in front of the vehicle, but stops short of impact. It may be tough to watch for some viewers.
The crash happened on Sunday, near Mill Avenue and Curry Road. Authorities identified the woman as 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg.
Following the release of the video, Uber released the following statement:
“The video is disturbing and heartbreaking to watch, and our thoughts continue to be with Elaine’s loved ones. Our cars remain grounded, and we're assisting local, state and federal authorities in any way we can.”
As a result of the crash, the National Transportation and Safety Board is investigating. Uber also announced the suspension of its testing on self-driving vehicles in Arizona, as well as other cities.
Attorney James Arrowood teaches the state bar course on driverless vehicles and points out challenges in a possible case.
"Even if they picked up that person over there, is the car programmed to understand, 'Hey, maybe we slow down because this person is coming into the pathway,'" Arrowood said. "It may not be. If you're driving your car, you can't conceivably slow down every time you see something on a sidewalk."
Authorities said the vehicle was in autonomous mode at the time of the crash. The driver has been identified as 44-year-old Rafaela Vasquez.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office will be reviewing the case.
Arrowood says it will come down to a battle of experts conducting sophisticated tests to learn more about the accident. He also says it could cost millions of dollars just to bring the case to a courtroom, so Uber may decide on a settlement.
