A self-driving car in Texas hit and killed a mother duck, sparking neighborhood outrage

In a startling incident in Austin, Texas, a self-driving car struck and killed a mother duck, igniting a wave of concern among local residents about the presence of autonomous vehicles in their community. The tragic event occurred in the Mueller Lake area, where the duck had made a nest near a popular local Italian restaurant. The incident was brought to light when a resident shared their experience in a community Facebook group, stating that an Avride autonomous vehicle, with a human safety operator at the wheel, ran over the duck without slowing down. "It didn’t slow down or hesitate at all, just steamrolled through," the resident lamented, as reported by KXAN. The familiarity of the neighborhood with the duck, which had become a part of their local environment, intensified the backlash against the technology. In response to concerns for the duck's eggs, residents have taken measures to incubate them, as noted by Axios Austin. An Avride representative confirmed to TechCrunch that the vehicle was operating in autonomous mode at the time of the incident. Although the company has not halted its testing on public roads, it has modified its operational zones to avoid specific streets around the lake where the accident occurred. Spokesperson Yulia Shveyko addressed claims made by the resident that the vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign, stating that Avride found no evidence to support that assertion, maintaining that the vehicle came to a complete stop at all relevant signs. Shveyko added that the company is currently reviewing the vehicle's data and behavior, including simulations of the incident, to prevent similar occurrences in the future. They are also conducting controlled experiments to ensure that any modifications do not compromise the vehicle’s safety in other scenarios. Avride is not alone in its endeavors within Austin's autonomous vehicle landscape; companies like Zoox, Tesla, and Waymo are also testing and deploying their technologies in various capacities throughout the city.