i'm not surprised they were looking down so much and taking their eyes off the road but this is one of the problems with AVs. people get a false sense of security. you still need to be vigilant and aware.
that said that lady popped the fuck up out of nowhere and it's sad but that's what fucking crosswalks are for. i can't tell you the amount of times in this city people try to cross 6-8 lanes of traffic out of the crosswalk. just standing in the turning lane waiting for the next 3 lanes to clear. it's fucking ridiculous.
This. Even when its rush hour and the sidewalk isnt that far away, people in Tempe commonly cross halfway stand in the turn lane for who knows how long, and then keep crossing. ---