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| Nissan Autonomous Drive |
A TV reporter who was in the driver’s seat of a self-driving car
caused a traffic accident during a test run under a university project
last month in Nagoya, according to sources.
The experiment on self-driving technology was conducted by Nagoya
University Oct. 22 on a public road in Nagoya. In the driver’s seat was a
reporter from Nagoya Broadcasting Network, the sources said.
Although the test run had been approved by Aichi prefectural
authorities in advance, the application showed a researcher, not a TV
reporter, would be in the driver’s seat, the sources said.
The Nagoya TV reporter caused a flat tire soon after the car was set
in the self-driving mode and hit a roadside block. It caused damage to
the car but no one was injured.
The prefectural government has urged Nagoya University to ensure the
safety of such experiments because they are conducted on public roads.
Nagoya TV meanwhile said the reporter has a driver’s license and was briefed about how to operate the car before the test run.
The car in the experiment was equipped with various sensors for
self-driving but required the driver’s handling to avoid obstacles.
Kyodo
