>>> BACK NOW WITH OUR NBC NEWS INVESTIGATION. A MAJOR VOTE IN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEK COULD ALLOW MORE DRIVERLESS CARS ON THE ROAD IN SAN FRANCISCO. BUT WE HAVE NEW DETAILS TONIGHT IN THE DANGERS THEY MAY POSE. BIGAD SHABAN FROM OUR NBC BAY AREA STATION KNTV EXPLAINS. >> Reporter: NOW HANDS ON THE WHEEL. NO HANDS AT ALL. OKAY, I JUST REQUESTED OUR RIDE, AND IT'S THREE MINUTES AWAY. >> Reporter: MORE THAN 2,000 SELF-DRIVING CARS ARE ON THE ROAD IN CALIFORNIA. MOST HAVE A TEST DRIVER INSIDE WHO CAN TAKE OVER WHEN NEEDED. BUT HUNDREDS OF CARS HAVE NO ONE IN THE FRONT SEAT AS THEY MAKE DELIVERIES AND SHUTTLE PASSENGERS. WE TRIED A RIDE WITH CRUISE. OWNED BY GM, IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST RIDE DRIVERLESS RIDE SHARES IN AMERICA, ALONG WITH ITS COMPETITOR WAYMO. BOTH HAVE ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO EXPAND THEIR ROBOTAXI SERVICES INSIDE THE STATE'S LARGEST TESTING GROUNDS, SAN FRANCISCO. SO PASSENGERS CAN REQUEST RIDES 24 HOURS A DAY RIGHT FROM THEIR PHONES. ONCE YOU ENTER YOUR DESTINATION, THE CAR DOES THE REST. YOU CAN'T TELL IT WHAT ROUTES TO TAKE OR STREETS TO AVOID. SO IF YOU'RE USED TO BEING A BACK SEAT DRIVER, YOU MIGHT WANT TO FIND A CAR WITH A FRONT SEAT DRIVER. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES CAN DETECT CLOSED STREETS, DRIVE AROUND DOUBLE-PARKED CARS, AND EVEN PULL OVER FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES. BUT GETTING CHAUFFEURED BY A ROBOT ISN'T ALWAYS A SMOOTH RIDE. STATE TRANSPORTATION RECORDS OBTAINED BY NBC NEWS SHOW SELF-DRIVING CARS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN 280 CRASHES ACROSS CALIFORNIA OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. RESULTING IN AT LEAST 64 INJURIES AND A DEAD DOG. THAT INCLUDES COLLISIONS WITH OTHER VEHICLES, BICYCLISTS, AND CITY BUSES. >> A SELF-DRIVING CAR RAN INTO ME, NO DRIVER. >> Reporter: SOME ACCIDENTS WERE CAUSED BY OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD, ACCORDING TO CRASH REPORTS. HOW MANY IS UNCLEAR FROM THE DATA. BUT THE CARS HAVE BEEN CONFUSED BY EMERGENCY SCENES, SOMETIMES PLOWING INTO CAUTION TAPE OR BLOCKING FIRE TRUCKS. WAYMO DIDN'T COMMENT, BUT CRUISE TELLS US AUTOMATION HAS SAFETY BENEFITS. >> OUR CARS DON'T DRIVE DRUNK. THEY DON'T GET DISTRACTED. >> Reporter: ONE OF THE LEADERS AT CRUISE. >> OUR VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED TO WHEN THEY APPROACH A SITUATION THAT THEY AREN'T SURE ABOUT, THEY'RE DESIGNED TO COME TO A SAFE STOP. >> BUT YOU WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EVEN COMING TO A FULL STOP CAN CREATE SAFETY ISSUES TOO. >> Reporter: THE TRAFFIC BLOCKAGES ARE NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN. >> Reporter: JUST HOURS AFTER THAT INTERVIEW, IT DID HAPPEN, TO US. OUR FIRST RIDE WITH CRUISE WENT AS PLANNED. BUT WE THEN INVITED A LONG-TIME DRIVING INSTRUCTOR, EUGENIA BORGES TO JOIN US. ON A SECOND RIDE. ABOUT ONE MINUTE IN, OUR CAR WAS AT A GREEN LIGHT BUT WOULDN'T BUDGE. >> IT'S A VERY SAFE SITUATION FOR THE CAR TO TURN, AND IT'S JUST STAYING HERE. I'M NOT SURE WHY. >> Reporter: THE CAR EVENTUALLY INCHED FORWARD BUT KEPT STOPPING. >> WE'RE KIND OF RIDING IN TWO LANES. >> Reporter: THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT HIT THE GAS. >> OH. >> OKAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S DOING NOW. >> Reporter: OUR CAR DROVE STRAIGHT TOWARDS THE MEDIAN AND JUST STOPPED, TAKING UP ALMOST TWO FULL LANES. >> THIS IS NOT GOOD. YEAH. PEOPLE ARE HONKING AT US. >> Reporter: SOON CAME THE LOOKS FROM OTHER DRIVERS. HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO THE WORST DRIVING STUDENT YOU'VE EVER HAD? >> OH, THIS IS MUCH WORSE. >> Reporter: CRUISE DECLINED TO SIT DOWN WITH US AGAIN, BUT IN A STATEMENT SAID THE CAR ENCOUNTERED AN UNEXPECTED CONSTRUCTION ZONE THAT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED SEVERAL LANE CHANGES. THE BETTER COURSE WAS FOR THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TO COME TO A SAFE STOP RATHER THAN PROCEED. WHILE OTHER DRIVERS CRUISED RIGHT PAST THAT CLOSED LANE, OUR CAR SAT PARKED ON A BUSY STREET FOR 20 MINUTES, CAUSING A TRAFFIC JAM FOR BLOCKS. WHAT'S YOUR REACTION IT BEING A DRIVERLESS CAR STUCK HERE? >> I'M NOT SURPRISED. >> Reporter: SELF-DRIVING CARS ARE ALREADY BEING TESTED IN 25 STATES, BUT WITH NO FEDERAL REGULATION, AMERICA DOESN'T HAVE A NATIONAL ROAD MAP FOR SAFETY GUIDELINES. BACK INSIDE OUR CAR, CRUISE CUSTOMER SERVICE CONTACTED US TO SAY THEY DETECTED A PROBLEM. THEIR SOLUTION? THEY SENT US A DRIVER TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL.
