Gov. Doug Ducey is reiterating his support for self-driving vehicles, after one of Uber’s autonomous cars struck and killed a woman earlier this month in Tempe. Uber is currently banned from testing on Arizona roadways.
Leaving a meeting on an unrelated matter, Ducey told reporters he continues to believe that self-driving cars can make roadways safer. He defended his decision to deregulate Arizona, making it hotbed for autonomous vehicle testing.
“We’ll continue to work with companies, so we can remove obstacles, as long as we’re protecting public health and public safety,” he said.
On March 18, a 49-year-old woman was killed by an Uber car in autonomous mode while she crossed a road. The crash is still under investigation.
The company has reached a settlement with the victim’s family.