Google self-driving car accident: Video shows moment automated vehicle crashes into public bus

The company has admitted ‘it bears some responsibility’

Charlie Atkin
Thursday 10 March 2016 10:34 GMT
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Self-driving Google car crashes into public bus

Video has emerged that shows a Google self-driving car crashing into the side of a bus.

The Lexus SUV, outfitted by Google with special sensors, collided with a public bus on Valentine's Day in Mountain View, California.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority released the video and post-crash photos this week, believed to be the first accident for which a self-driving car has been responsible.

(AP Video)

It shows the Lexus edging into the path of a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority bus and hitting its right side.

Though the bus was going only 15 mph, the impact damaged the side and front of the Lexus.

A report released by California’s Department of Motor Vehicles said that the vehicle and the test driver “believed the bus would slow or allow the Google vehicle to continue.”

No one was injured in the incident and the car was eventually towed.

A transit agency spokeswoman says the bus driver was not to blame, while Google has accepted partial responsibility for the accident.

This is the first time Google has admitted any fault for an incident involving its self-driving technology.

All of the 17 accidents in Google driverless cars since January have been caused by human error.

Google believes the cars will be road-ready by 2020.

Additional reporting by AP

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