New York Times from 1925 – RADIO-DRIVEN AUTO RUNS DOWN ESCORT; Wireless Directs Test Car in Wobbly Course Through Heavy Broadway Traffic. ESCAPES FIRE ENGINE CRASH Defect In Steering Mechanism Blamed for Erratic Action — New Demonstration Planned.
Turns out that companies would simply go ahead and test their incredibly dangerous "autonomous" car technology on public streets, resulting of course in a crash. And this was in 1925!
