Waymo Releases Details of Pedestrian Contact in Santa Monica, Shows Safety Benefit of Autonomous Driving
Waymo voluntarily reported an incident on January 23 in Santa Monica where its autonomous vehicle made contact with a pedestrian after the pedestrian suddenly entered the road from behind a stopped SUV.
- 17 mph
- under 6 mph
- 14 mph
What Happened
On Friday, January 23, a Waymo autonomous vehicle made contact with a young pedestrian in Santa Monica, California. The pedestrian suddenly entered the roadway from behind a tall SUV, moving directly into the vehicle's path. Waymo's technology detected the individual as soon as they emerged and braked hard, reducing speed from approximately 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact. Waymo voluntarily contacted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that same day, and NHTSA indicated they intend to open an investigation.
- under 6 mph
- approximately 14 mph
After 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 until law enforcement cleared it to leave.
“This event demonstrates the critical value of our safety systems. We remain committed to improving road safety where we operate as we continue on our mission to be the world’s most trusted driver.”
Why this matters
This incident demonstrates how Waymo's autonomous driving technology reduced impact speed compared to a modeled human driver, potentially reducing injury severity. It also underscores Waymo's commitment to transparency by voluntarily contacting NHTSA, which may influence public trust and regulatory approaches to autonomous vehicle safety.
Terms in This Story
- NHTSA
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the U.S. agency responsible for automotive safety.
- Waymo Driver
- Waymo's autonomous driving system that controls its self-driving vehicles.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.