A fatal collision involving a car operating in full self-driving mode is under investigation in California, United States, after a 71-year-old pedestrian was struck while crossing a freeway.
The incident occurred at about 2:35am on Thursday on the westbound lanes of Interstate 80 in Vallejo, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
Officers who arrived at the scene found the man with fatal injuries.
The self-driving vehicle was driven by a 26-year-old man from San Francisco, who told investigators that the car was operating in full self-driving mode when it hit the pedestrian.
The driver remained at the scene, cooperated with the investigation and provided footage from the vehicle’s dashboard camera.
A preliminary review of the footage showed the car travelling at about 70 miles per hour in the second lane when the pedestrian entered the freeway from the right shoulder and moved towards the central divide.
The footage reportedly showed the driver applying the brakes and attempting to steer left to avoid the man.
“Despite these evasive actions, the right front portion of the car struck the individual,” the CHP said.
Investigators believe another vehicle may also have struck the pedestrian while he was lying in the traffic lanes after the initial collision.
The other vehicles involved did not stop, leaving investigators unable to identify their drivers.
The CHP’s Solano office is investigating the crash and has appealed to witnesses and anyone with information about the unidentified vehicles to come forward.
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