Death by Driverless Car
Examining two pivotal cases from the driverless car revolution, including the first death of a pedestrian. Who should be held responsible?
In March 2018, a driverless car struck and killed a woman crossing the street in Tempe, Arizona. It was the world’s first pedestrian fatality by a car that was being driven by AI. But there was also a human operator behind the wheel, monitoring the vehicle. A decision had to be made that would shape the course of a billion-dollar industry: who was responsible, the human or the AI?
In her first TV interview, the operator, Rafaella Vasquez, meets Hannah to tell the story of the crash and its aftermath. Hannah also talks to the lead detective on the case, who was tasked with investigating Rafaella, tracks down a whistleblower from Uber, the company behind the driverless vehicle, and takes her first rides in autonomous vehicles in the US and UK.
Last on
Clip
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"This guy was relying on this car to drive itself"
Duration: 02:08
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Hannah Fry |
| Director | Harriet Bird |
| Production Manager | Kathryn Wellington |
| Series Producer | Vikki Miller |
| Production Company | Curious Films |
Broadcasts
- Mon 2 Mar 2026 21:00
- Thu 5 Mar 2026 23:05Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Two except Northern Ireland & Northern Ireland HD
- Thu 5 Mar 2026 23:35Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Two Northern Ireland & Northern Ireland HD only
- Thu 12 Mar 2026 02:30
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