Uber Technologies Inc. will shutdown its self-driving car operations in Arizona after a fatal crash in March involving the technology.
A spokesman said the ride-sharing company remains focused on its safety review and cited the recent hiring of former National Transportation Safety Board chair Christopher Hart, who is advising Uber on its overall safety culture.
“We’re committed to self-driving technology, and we look forward to returning to public roads in the near future,” the spokesperson said.
Roughly 300 workers in Arizona could be impacted by the news. The wind-down is expected to take several weeks. The company halted the self-driving program nationwide after a 49-year old woman was killed in Tempe, Ariz. after being struck by one of the autonomous vehicles. The NTSB is currently investigating the incident.
Uber is expected to restart its self-driving vehicle tests in Pittsburgh in the coming months. The company is continuing conversations with the California Department of Motor Vehicles to try to resume testing in the state, but they are not expected to begin this summer.
