New Jersey cyclist sues after delivery robot ‘hit-and-run’ leaves him with broken shoulder, head injury
Delivery robots have been making an appearance in cities across the country. But a man from New Jersey is wondering just how safe they are – after he was injured in an accident with one.
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A Jersey City cyclist was injured when a delivery robot drove into him while he was riding his bike.
Cyclist Conor Shannon, of Jersey City, ended up with a broken shoulder and a head injury.
“The last thing I remember when I was in mid-air was 'these things are really sturdy,'” says Shannon. “And next thing you know, I was out.”
Sarah Ahern, also from Jersey City, witnessed the accident.
Ahern was shocked when she saw the robot pull into the street directly into Conor’s path.
“It was very quick to blink its eyes and then try and turn and finish its delivery,” she says.
Ahern stood in front of the robot and blocked it with her leg, taking photographs of the machine before it continued on its way.
Shannon is still recovering from his injuries. He hired attorney Adam Lederman to sue Uber as well as Avride, the company that made the robot.
“Essentially what's happening is that they are beta testing these machines in the real world,” Lederman says, “and that residents of Jersey City and other cities are unwitting crash test dummies for these devices.”
According to Lederman, this may be the first reported incident of a delivery robot causing serious injury to someone. But there have been other recorded accidents involving robots. In March, one crashed through a bus shelter in Chicago. In January, a robot was pulverized by a train when it got stuck on train tracks in Florida.
Avride, the company that made the robot involved in the Jersey City crash, tells Kane In Your Corner it can’t comment on the incident because it’s an active legal matter.
“Our fleet is programmed to operate in strict accordance with traffic laws and safety regulations," said a spokesperson. “We sincerely value the safety of the community and wish the individual involved well.”
Shannon hopes his lawsuit serves as a wakeup call to the industry.
"If my lawsuit helps in any way, maybe curb them a little bit or work on more safety features, then that's definitely a big plus," he says.
