Uber will return its self-driving cars to roads in Tempe today following an accident Friday that prompted the ride-hailing company to temporarily “ground” its fleet of Volvo SUVs.
On Friday, a driver in Tempe was cited for making an illegal left turn and hitting one of Uber’s test cars, which was in self-driving mode with a test driver behind the wheel and another in the passenger seat. The Uber car ended up on its side, and a third car was struck. Nobody was seriously injured.
Uber temporarily halted the program to investigate the accident and gain a better understanding of what happened, but a spokesperson said Monday the company will redeploy its fleet here and in Pittsburgh, where it also is testing.
Uber brought its fleet of self-driving cars to Arizona amid much fanfare last year following a dispute with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which requires companies operating self-driving cars to report on their operations. Arizona has no rules specific to self-driving cars.
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