A driverless car operated by Chinese tech giant Baidu struck a pedestrian in Beijing, raising concerns about the safety of autonomous vehicles and the company’s artificial intelligence technology. The incident occurred when a Baidu robotaxi, without a safety operator behind the wheel, collided with a pedestrian who was crossing the street. The pedestrian suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital. Baidu acknowledged the incident and stated that it had reported the accident to authorities and was cooperating with investigations. The company emphasized its commitment to safety and said it would suspend operations of its robotaxi service for an upgrade. The incident has reignited debates about the readiness of self-driving technology and the potential risks associated with AI-powered autonomous vehicles. While proponents argue that driverless cars could reduce accidents caused by human error, critics point to the need for rigorous testing and safety measures to prevent such incidents. The accident raises questions about the reliability of Baidu’s AI systems and the company’s ability to ensure the safe deployment of its autonomous driving technology.
Source: https://time.com/6996299/driverless-car-hit-pedestrian-china-baidu-ai/