No, driverless cars aren’t far safer than human drivers

Self-driving cars have claimed their first pedestrian fatality, a woman in Tempe, Ariz., who was struck and killed by an Uber vehicle traveling in autonomous mode. Weren’t self-driving cars supposed to be safer than those piloted by fallible humans?

And who says they aren’t? As many on social media rushed to point out, more than 37,000 people were killed by human-piloted vehicles in 2016. Compared with that, one pedestrian fatality, however sad, looks pretty good.

This argument is appealing. Unfortunately, it’s wrong. read more »

BMW Joins List of Carmakers Probed for Suspected Diesel Cheating

BMW AG became the latest in a list of carmakers under investigation over suspected illegal devices to influence emissions setups in its diesel vehicles -- even as the German carmaker said it simply made a mistake.

Munich prosecutors led searches involving 100 officials Tuesday, a day before the carmaker’s annual earnings press conference, visiting BMW’s headquarter in the Bavarian capital as well as its engine plant in Steyr, Austria, according to an emailed statement. The probe involves some 11,400 7-Series and 5-Series sedans.

BMW approached Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority in February after internal tests found the manufacturer had installed the wrong software in the cars, resulting in higher emissions. Prosecutors then started initial proceedings that have now deepened into a fuller investigation. read more »