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
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hes gotta be confused
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Sounds like a programming issue that frankly needs to be addressed IMMEDIATELY. Headlights are not just for the driver of a vehicle to see, it's also so said vehicle can BE seen by other drivers. The company will be liable if, for example, someone else legally goes through an intersection where they had to stop for a sign but cars to the left and right are through traffic, and they get hit by a driverless car because their lights weren't on.
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