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TECHNOLOGY Saturday 17 december 2016
California, Uber still negotiating self-driving car legality

JUSTIN PRITCHARD nal background checks
Associated Press and whether those drivers
Negotiations over whether should be treated as con-
Uber must stop its newly tractors ineligible for em-
launched self-driving car ployee benefits.
service in San Francisco Both the California Depart-
have concluded without a ment of Motor Vehicles and
clear resolution, according its parent transportation
to California transportation agency insist Uber is wrong
regulators. — and hours after the self-
The state has threatened le- driving service’s launch the
gal action if the ride-hailing state sent a letter saying
company continues to pick the service was illegal be-
up passengers in a hand- cause it lacked the permits.
ful of cars without having “If Uber does not confirm
gone through a permitting immediately that it will
process. Uber says the cars stop its launch and seek
are exempt from the permit a testing permit, DMV will
requirement because they initiate legal action,” DMV
have a backup driver be- Chief Counsel Brian Soublet
hind the wheel who must wrote the company. He
monitor the car’s perfor- referenced the possibility of
mance. In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, an Uber driverless car is displayed in a garage in taking Uber to court.
State officials had a “posi- San Francisco. San Francisco Mayor Ed
tive conversation” Thursday Associated Press Lee joined the chorus of
with Uber about “how the same day the company day drive far more safely not need a permit. officials denouncing the
company plans to comply launched the pilot program than humans. Though the cars are tricked move, calling it unlawful
with state regulations for with several Volvo SUVs. “This is why we believe so out with sensors so they and ill-advised in a state-
self-driving vehicles,” Melis- On Thursday, Uber said in a much in making the roads can steer, accelerate and ment. Lee said he was wor-
sa Figueroa, a spokeswom- written statement that the safer by building self-driv- brake, and even decide ried about the safety of the
an for California’s State driver was suspended and ing Ubers,” the company to change lanes, Uber says city’s cyclists and pedes-
Transportation Agency, attributed the infraction in said in a written statement, they are not nearly good trians, especially with the
told The Associated Press. front of the San Francisco which said the red light- enough to drive without experiment launching in a
Talks will resume Friday Museum of Modern Art to running car was not one human monitoring. And, week when streets are slick
morning, she said. “human error.” That was of those in its pilot program according to Uber’s read- with rain.
Uber did not immediately an apparent reference to and was not carrying pas- ing of state law, that means Meanwhile, the company is
reply to requests for com- the company’s policy that sengers. they are not, legally speak- sending another message
ment. employees behind the Getting a permit is not a ing, “autonomous vehicles” to California: Other places
Meanwhile, the cars could wheel of the cars must con- complicated or lengthy that need special state want us if you don’t.
be seen traveling San Fran- stantly monitor them and process, and regulators permission. In a blog post Wednesday,
cisco’s streets Thursday be prepared to take over if would likely approve Uber’s the leader of its self-driving
evening. the technology stops work- application, as they have PUSHING THE LEGAL LIMIT efforts, Anthony Levan-
ing, or is about to do some- permits for 20 other com- Pushing legal boundaries is dowski, warned that “com-
RED LIGHT WARNING thing dangerous or illegal. panies. a proud tradition at Uber. plex rules and requirements
The two sides met privately Far from playing defense, Instead, Uber has insisted During its meteoric rise into could have the unintended
in Sacramento the same Uber offered the driver’s it will not apply out of prin- a multibillion dollar compa- consequence of slowing
day that dash cam video failure as evidence of the ciple, saying its cars do not ny, Uber has argued with innovation” and named
posted online showed a need to continue pushing meet the state’s legal defi- authorities in California and several places outside Cali-
self-driving Uber run a red ahead a technology that nition of an “autonomous around the world about is- fornia he characterized as
light on Wednesday, the proponents say will one vehicle” and therefore do sues including driver crimi- being “pro technology.”q

Pew: Majority of U.S. says

fake news is creating confusion

BARBARA ORTUTAY swayed the U.S. presiden- news. Another 45 percent
AP Technology Writer tial election. Separately was “somewhat” confi-
NEW YORK (AP) — A new on Thursday, Facebook dent.
survey from the Pew Re- announced that it’s tak- — People are definitely
search Center has found ing new measures to curb sharing fake news stories
that two-thirds of U.S. adults the spread of fake news online, and some do it
say fake news stories are on its social network. Here knowingly. Nearly a quar-
ter of respondents said
causing “a great deal of are some key findings from they have shared a made-
confusion” about the basic the survey : up story. Fourteen percent
facts of current events. — Nearly a third of respon- shared a story they knew In this May 16, 2012, file photo, the Facebook logo is displayed
on an iPad in Philadelphia.
Fake political stories have dents in the Pew survey said was fake, while 16 percent Associated Press
drawn outsized atten- they “often” see made-up realized a story was fake af-
tion recently because of political news stories online. ter sharing it. Since the sur- stories they never realized cians have a “great deal”
the possibility that they Less than a half said they vey relied on self-reporting, were fake. of responsibility for pre-
influenced public per- were “very confident” that it’s unclear how many — Forty-five percent said venting made-up stories
ceptions and could have they could spot fabricated people shared fake news the government and politi- from getting attention. q