What happens when a car is pulled over for not using its headlights, and the police see that there's no driver? The short answer is: nothing. San Francisco police signaled a car to stop, then realized it is one of the new Cruise robotaxis that have been serving the city for a couple of months. They couldn't open the door, and the robotic car pulled away briefly and then pulled over to the curb, seeking a safe spot away from traffic. That's what it is programmed to do, although you can imagine how police would respond to a human driver doing the same.
Lacking a driver to provide license and registration, submit to a sobriety test, or give a ticket to, the cops called the Cruise office. No ticket was issued. Which brings up questions that the police will have to work out with robotics companies- what will be the standard procedures for such stops going forward? Read the full story, and see a video of the incident (which is honestly rather boring) at the Verge. -via Digg
Comments (2)
That being said, an argument could be made for 260 hrs :)