Google self-driving car causes an accident

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 1 (UPI) -- A Google self-driving car struck a bus in traffic in the first example of an autonomous car at fault in an crash.

The incident occurred Feb. 14 in Mountain View, Calif., site of Google's headquarters, involving a Lexus refitted as a "Google AV." A test driver was aboard the Lexus, but here were no reports of injury.

Self-driving cars operate by means of sensors, installed in and on the car, which monitor traffic and obstacles.

A public transit bus approached from behind in the lane to the left of the car. The Google AV evidently expected the bus to stop to allow it entry to the lane. It didn't, and the car struck the bus. The Google AV was traveling at 2 mph, the bus at about 15 mph.

The test driver "saw the approaching bus in the left side mirror but believed the bus would stop or slow to allow the Google AV to continue. Approximately three seconds later, as the Google AV was re-entering the canter of the lane it made contact with the side of the bus," the accident report states.