Uber Safety Driver Charged With Negligent Homicide

Following a harrowing 2018 crash, an Uber Safety Driver has been charged with negligent homicide while she was operating a self-driving vehicle.

Sept. 17, 2020

Sept. 17, 2020—Phoenix officials have formally charged an Uber Safety Driver who was behind the wheel when an autonomous vehicle struck and killed Elaine Herzberg, a Tempe resident.

Rafaela Vasquez has pled not guilty to the charge of negligent homicide, though data provided by Hulu shows she was streaming episodes just minutes before the 2018 crash.

Gizmodo reported that just five months prior to the crash, Uber cut back from two self-driving vehicle safety operators per vehicle to just one. Uber has avoided criminal liability, but reached a settlement for an unknown amount with Herzberg's family in 2018.