Vision released of the shocking moment an Uber self-driven car collides with pedestrian

Terrifying footage has been released of the moment an Uber self-driving car hit and killed a woman crossing a street in Arizona earlier this week.

Elaine Herzberg, 49, was walking her bicycle on a four-lane road in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe around 10pm local time on Sunday night when she was struck by the vehicle while it was travelling at about 65km/h.

The car was believed to have been set into autonomous mode at the time of the incident, meaning on-board computers and sensors were controlling the car but a human can intervene.

Ms Herzberg later died from the injuries she sustained in the collision – the first known fatality caused by a self-driving vehicle.

Shocking dashcam footage of the accident released by the Tempe Police today shows the speed at which the Uber car was driving itself, as well as Ms Herberg being illuminated in the vehicle’s headlights moments before she was hit.

The vision also shows the car’s occupant not watching the road until the moment of the crash and her shock when the Volvo XC90 SUV collided with Ms Herzberg.

A spokesperson for Uber said in a statement that the company would continue to assist police with inquiries into the incident.

“The video is disturbing and heartbreaking to watch, and our thoughts continue to be with Elaine’s loved ones,” the spokesperson said.

“Our cars remain grounded, and we're assisting local, state and federal authorities in any way we can.”

The Tempe Police have also said that its Vehicular Crimes Unit is “actively investigating” the circumstances around the incident.