Waymo faces federal probes after robotaxi hits child in Santa Monica

On January 23, a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica. According to Waymo, the child sustained minor injuries. The company stated that its vehicle was traveling at around 17 miles per hour before braking, ultimately striking the child at six miles per hour. Waymo asserted that the young pedestrian suddenly entered the roadway from behind a tall SUV, moving directly into the vehicle’s path, but noted that its system immediately detected the individual as they began to emerge. Following the contact, the pedestrian stood up immediately and walked to the sidewalk, and 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.

The incident has triggered dual investigations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, the US safety regulator) has opened an investigation into the accident. Additionally, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB, the US safety board) announced on Thursday afternoon that it has opened an investigation in coordination with the Santa Monica Police Department. According to the NHTSA, the collision occurred within two blocks of the school during normal school drop-off hours, in an area where there were other children, a crossing guard, and several double-parked vehicles in the vicinity. The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation is examining whether the Waymo autonomous vehicle exercised appropriate caution given its proximity to the school and the presence of young pedestrians and other potential vulnerable road users.

This collision intensifies existing regulatory pressure on the company. Waymo is already facing dual investigations into its robotaxis illegally passing school buses. The NHTSA opened a probe into the issue in October shortly after the first report of the incident in Atlanta, Georgia, while the NTSB opened its own investigation last week after around 20 incidents were reported in Austin, Texas. In defense of its technology, Waymo cited a peer-reviewed model, asserting that a “fully attentive human driver in this same situation would have made contact with the pedestrian at approximately 14 mph.”

Why it matters

The NHTSA and NTSB have opened investigations into a Waymo robotaxi collision with a child, adding to existing federal scrutiny regarding the company’s vehicles passing school buses.