Uber faces fine of nearly $1B over automated driver suspensions | TechCrunch

The American ride-hailing platform Uber faces a substantial fine from the California Transportation Department for suspending its vehicles during autonomous driving tests. According to recent reports, the fine is nearly $1 billion (between $980 million and $1 billion), making it the largest administrative fine ever imposed on Uber. The penalty focuses on Uber’s sudden suspension of its autonomous driving test fleet without proper regulation and evaluation, resulting in many passengers being unable to use the service and causing safety concerns. The California Transportation Department believes that Uber failed to fulfill its responsibility for public safety, and its decision to suspend operations lacked transparency and a reasonable communication process. Currently, Uber has stated that it will conduct an internal review of the matter and promised to strengthen safety regulations for future autonomous driving projects.