A child was involved in an accident with a Waymo robotaxi near a Santa Monica elementary school on January 23. Waymo reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that the child, who has not been identified, suffered minor injuries.
The NHTSA has initiated an investigation into the incident, and Waymo has stated in a blog post that they will fully cooperate with the authorities.
According to Waymo, the robotaxi collided with the child at a speed of 6 miles per hour, braking sharply from 17 miles per hour. The company explained that the young pedestrian suddenly appeared from behind a tall SUV, directly in the vehicle’s path. The vehicle detected the individual as soon as they emerged from behind the stopped vehicle.
After the collision, the child got up immediately, walked to the sidewalk, and emergency services were contacted. The vehicle remained stationary until law enforcement permitted it to leave the scene.
This incident comes as Waymo is under scrutiny for its robotaxis illegally passing school buses. NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting separate investigations into these incidents.
The NHTSA mentioned that the accident occurred in close proximity to the elementary school during regular drop-off hours, with several children, a crossing guard, and double-parked vehicles nearby.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation is looking into whether the Waymo AV exercised appropriate caution given the circumstances, including the presence of young pedestrians and vulnerable road users near the school.
Techcrunch event
Boston, MA
|
June 23, 2026
Waymo stated in their blog post that their analysis shows a human driver in the same situation would have made contact with the pedestrian at a speed of approximately 14 mph. However, the company did not provide specific details of this particular incident.
This story is developing…
