Uber pulls self-driving cars following Arizona collision

Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies has suspended its use of self-driving technology after one of its vehicles crashed while using the software.

A Volvo SUV was using Uber’s autonomous driving program on a street in Arizona on Friday when it collided with another vehicle, causing the Volvo to roll on to one side.

Following the crash in Arizona, Uber executives made the decision to pull its self-driving cars from the three states where it operates such vehicles - Arizona, Pennsylvania and California.

There were no injuries related to the accident in Arizona, but it is the latest in a series of setbacks for the San Francisco-based company, which has faced allegations of mismanagement in recent weeks, as well as the resignation of president Jeff Jones last week.

Uber’s autonomous cars work only with a driver in the vehicle with the ability to control the self-driving system.

Police reports from Tempe, Arizona suggest that a car pulled out in front of Uber’s Volvo SUV, with a spokesperson saying that the other vehicle 'failed to yield'.

Of Uber’s car, the spokesperson said that "there was a person behind the wheel. It is uncertain at this time if they were controlling the vehicle at the time of the collision."

Uber has faced questions over its autonomous driving software before. In December, one of its cars was filmed driving through a red light in San Francisco, forcing the company onto the defensive.

"This is why we believe so much in making the roads safer by building self-driving Ubers. These vehicles were not part of the pilot and were not carrying customers. The drivers involved have been suspended while we continue to investigate," a spokesperson commented after the incident.