Self-Driving Chevy Bolt EV Ticketed in San Francisco
In what very well could be the first infraction committed by an autonomous car, a San Francisco police officer pulled over and ticketed a General Motors-operated self-driving Chevrolet Bolt EV.
The incident occurred on March 20 and CBS news affiliate KPIX 5 reported last week that the self-driving car was operating autonomously with a human backup driver behind the wheel. The officer initiated a traffic stop after he noticed the self-driving Bolt EV failed to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk.
Cruise Automation, a GM-owned subsidiary that works on self-driving vehicle technology, pointed to the car’s data, which showed it did yield to the pedestrian and kept a distance of 10.8-feet away. Cruise added the self-driving vehicle never put the pedestrian in danger. However, the officer’s ticket still stands.
ALSO SEE: 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV Review: Is it Viable if You Don’t Live in the City?
Somewhat humorously, the human backup driver present at the time is now responsible for the citation. It’s unclear if the driver will fight the infraction in court, and San Francisco police did not comment on the matter.
It’s also not the first time one of GM’s self-driving Bolt EVs has caused a trouble in San Francisco. This past January, a motorcyclist sued GM after a GM-Cruise operated Bolt EV caused a crash and threw the rider from his motorcycle. The motorcyclist claimed the Bolt EV made a sudden lane change on a three-lane road and struck him. Police have ruled the motorcyclist was at fault, however.
This article originally appeared on HybridCars.com
More by Sean Szymkowski
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