An incident near Austin has drawn sharp criticism after an autonomous vehicle struck and killed a mother duck, leaving its offspring stranded on the road. The collision occurred on a residential street where the duck had been crossing with her ducklings. Local residents reported the vehicle did not stop or slow down before hitting the duck.
A witness told reporters the car continued driving without any visible reaction. 'It didn’t slow down or hesitate at all, just steamrolled right through,' the witness said. The incident has fueled outrage among neighbors who argue the vehicle should have detected the duck and adjusted its speed.
The vehicle involved is operated by Avride, a company testing self-driving cars in the area. The company has not yet issued a public statement regarding the incident. Residents have demanded answers about why the car failed to respond to the presence of the duck and its ducklings.
Local animal control officers confirmed the duck was killed in the collision. The ducklings were safely removed from the scene by a passerby. The incident raises questions about how autonomous vehicles handle unexpected obstacles in real-world conditions.
Neighbors plan to submit a formal complaint to Avride and local authorities. They want assurances that such incidents will not recur as self-driving cars become more common on public roads.
Source: techcrunch.com