On January 23, a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica. According to the company, the child sustained minor injuries, though their age is not known.
Waymo reported the incident to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has opened an investigation. Waymo stated it will cooperate fully with the process.
In a blog post, Waymo explained that its vehicle was traveling at approximately 17 miles per hour before braking hard and striking the child at 6 miles per hour. The company said the young pedestrian suddenly entered the roadway from behind a tall SUV, moving directly into the vehicle’s path. Waymo’s systems immediately detected the individual as they began to emerge from behind the stopped vehicle.
Following the contact, the pedestrian stood up immediately and walked to the sidewalk. Waymo called 911. The vehicle remained stopped, moved to the side of the road, and stayed there until law enforcement cleared it to leave the scene.
This crash occurs as Waymo faces dual investigations into its robotaxis illegally passing school buses. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a probe into the problem in October after an initial report in Atlanta, Georgia. The National Transportation Safety Board opened its own investigation last week after approximately 20 incidents were reported in Austin, Texas.
This story is developing.