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U.S. Union regulators have request more selective information from Zoox , Amazon ’s self - driving unit , as part of an investigating into rear - oddment crash risk posed by unexpected braking .
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ) open apreliminary investigationinto Zoox on May 10 after it invite two reports of Zoox vehicle unexpectedly braking , leading to rear - end collision with motorcyclist that result in minor injuries . Zoox has a permit fromCalifornia ’s Department of Motor Vehiclesto test its vehicle without a refuge driver in Foster City and inparts of San Francisco .
On Thursday , the agency gave Zoox a deadline of July 12 to send more information to aid its investigating . The letter detail a list of 13 requests for entropy , let in the number of mile beat back on public roadways with ego - driving software engaged by geographic region ; the bit of Ab - commanded heavy braking events with and without onboard human supervision ; a list and summary of braking incidents ; a elaborate timeline of event begin 30 seconds prior to each incident ; and copies of video , in writing renderings of measured trajectories and predicted paths for each road user and other data beginning 30 seconds before each incident .
NHTSA already confirmed through an initial investigation of both incident that each of Zoox ’s Toyota Highlanders were operating with the company ’s autonomous vehicle software engaged in the moments leading up to the collision .
In a letter from NHTSA ’s Office of Defects Investigation ( ODI ) dated May 30 , the federal agency say that in both reported incidents , the Zoox vehicles hit the brake in response to another route user that was not straight off in front of them .
“ ODI is have-to doe with that vehicle display unexpected rapid braking may increase the risk of crash , holding impairment and injury , ” read the missive . “ The hazard is particularly acute to road users behind the Zoox vehicles who are unable to reasonably anticipate or react to the unexpected sudden braking . ”
The investigating will judge the performance of Zoox ’s automated driving organisation , as well as its behavior in crosswalks around vulnerable route users and in other similar rearward - remainder hit scenarios .
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The two incident that led to this investigation involved motorcyclist , who often trail closely behind cars and split lanes . NHTSA ’s action in this case might be a sign of the zodiac of heighten examination of autonomous vehicle companies afterGM ’s Cruise lost its permitsto operate in California after withholding data about an incident that resulted in a Cruise robotaxi move over and dragging a pedestrian 20 feet .
The feds are alsoinvestigating Alphabet ’s Waymoafter receiving atotal of 31 reportsof its robotaxis make unexpected moves that led to clangour and potentially dishonour traffic safety laws .
