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Google’s self-driving Lexus cuts off self-driving Audi

By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
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By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
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June 26, 2015, 10:31 AM ET
Google Self-Driving Car
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 23: Googles Lexus RX 450H Self Driving Car is seen parked on Pennsylvania Ave. on April 23, 2014 in Washington, DC. Google has logged over 300,000 miles testing its self driving cars around the country. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)Photograph by Mark Wilson — Getty Images

Updated 12:15 a.m ET Friday.

Somebody almost had to call a self-driving tow truck.

Two autonomous vehicles, one powered by Google and the other from Delphi Automotive, nearly collided this week in what’s thought to be the first close call between a pair of self-driving cars, Reuters reports.

The Google car, a modified Lexus, cut off Delphi’s modified Audi and forced it abort changing lanes to avoid a crash, Delphi’s John Absmeier told Reuters. Absmeier was a passenger in the Audi at the time of the incident; nobody was hurt in the event.

Delphi has two driverless Audi prototypes on California roads, while Google has 20 being tested.

The near collision raises important questions about self-driving cars, including who’s responsible when two are involved in an accident.

Update: A Delphi spokesperson emailed Fortune with the following statement: “During a demo drive of our automated vehicle, our expert used the interaction with the Google car as an example of the types of scenarios that the car can encounter in real-world driving. It was an anecdote of an interaction, not a ‘near miss’. Reuters completely misrepresented the facts.”

About the Author
By Benjamin SnyderManaging Editor
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Benjamin Snyder is Fortune's managing editor, leading operations for the newsroom.

Prior to rejoining Fortune, he was a managing editor at Business Insider and has worked as an editor for Bloomberg, LinkedIn and CNBC, covering leadership stories, sports business, careers and business news. He started his career as a breaking news reporter at Fortune in 2014.

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