A child was struck by a Waymo autonomous vehicle on Friday, January 23, near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the incident occurred during normal drop-off hours within two blocks of the school. The child, who sustained minor injuries, ran across the street and toward the school behind a double-parked SUV before being struck by the Waymo at a speed of less than six miles an hour.
Waymo voluntarily reported the incident to NHTSA officials immediately after it occurred. The company stated that its technology detected the child as soon as they began to emerge from behind the stopped vehicle and braked hard to reduce speed before contact was made. Federal regulators have opened a preliminary investigation into the incident, which will focus on whether Waymo exercised appropriate caution given the environmental circumstances.
This is not the first time Waymo has been under federal investigation related to driving behavior near children. The Alphabet-funded startup was hit with a federal investigation late last year related to its driving behavior around school buses. In 2018, a prototype Uber self-driving Volvo XC90 struck and killed Elaine Herzberg on a four-lane road in Tempe, Arizona, prompting the first NHTSA investigation into a pedestrian killed by an autonomous vehicle.
Waymo has also recorded 14 instances of collisions with animals. The incident raises concerns about the safety of autonomous vehicles around children and the need for further regulation and testing. As autonomous vehicles become increasingly common on roads, it is essential to ensure that they are designed and tested to minimize the risk of accidents involving vulnerable road users such as children.
Waymo's technology has been touted for its ability to detect pedestrians and react quickly, but the incident highlights the need for caution and careful consideration in school zones and other areas where children are present. The investigation will examine whether Waymo's ADS adhered to posted speed limits and its post-impact response. The outcome of this investigation will be crucial in determining the safety of autonomous vehicles around children and setting a precedent for future regulations.
The incident highlights the need for continued testing and evaluation of autonomous vehicle technology, particularly in areas where children are present. As autonomous vehicles become increasingly common on roads, it is essential to ensure that they are designed and tested to minimize the risk of accidents involving vulnerable road users such as children.
