US safety investigators have found software problems in an Uber self-driving test vehicle that hit and killed a woman in 2018.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NSTB) discovered that the self-driving Uber car failed to properly identify the victim as a pedestrian. The vehicle hit Elaine Herzberg as she crossed a road in Tempe, Arizona.
The fatal accident happened in March 2018 while Uber was testing a Volvo XC90 for its self-driving technology. Prior to the crash, Herzberg was seen walking with a bicycle across a poorly lit stretch of a multi-lane road.
According to the NSTB, the vehicle failed to  correctly identify the bicycle as an imminent collision until just before the crash but by that time, it was too late for it to avoid the accident. NSTB said: "The system design did not include a consideration for jaywalking pedestrians."
While the findings of the NSTB highlighted several safety issues, the probable cause of the accident has not been determined. The safety board is expected to come up with an answer to this during their meeting on November 19.
The NSTB report also indicated 37 crashes of Uber vehicles in self-driving mode that occurred between September 2016 and March 2018.
In response to the report, Uber released a statement saying: "We deeply value the thoroughness of the NTSB's investigation into the crash and look forward to reviewing their recommendations".
Earlier this year, prosecutors determined that the ride-hailing company is not criminally liable for the death of Herzberg but the vehicle's backup driver could still face criminal charges.
A dash-cam video released by police after the incident appeared to show Rafaela Vasquez, the car's backup driver, taking her eyes off the road moments before the crash. Furthermore, records from streaming service Hulu indicated that Vasquez was streaming a television talent show on a phone when the accident happened.
