Editorial illustration for Waymo robotaxi strikes child near school during drop‑off, minor injuries
Waymo Robotaxi Strikes Child Near School, Injuries Reported
Waymo robotaxi strikes child near school during drop‑off, minor injuries
Why does a Waymo robotaxi’s encounter with a child matter now? The crash happened in a busy school‑zone corridor, exactly when families are shuttling kids to and from classes. Witnesses reported a handful of pedestrians, a crossing guard, and several vehicles parked illegally along the curb.
Amid that bustle, a youngster slipped out from behind a double‑parked SUV and headed toward the school building. At that moment, the autonomous sedan—operating under Waymo’s commercial service—rolled into the lane and struck the child. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has documented the scene, noting the injuries were minor.
Waymo responded with a blog post outlining its next steps. The details that follow paint a clearer picture of the environment, the vehicle’s behavior, and the immediate aftermath, shedding light on how such incidents are assessed and reported.
The incident occurred during normal school drop off hours, with other children, a crossing guard, and several double‑parked vehicles in the vicinity, NHTSA said. The child ran across the street from behind a double‑parked SUV toward the school and was struck by the Waymo vehicle. In a blog post, Way
The incident occurred during normal school drop off hours, with other children, a crossing guard, and several double-parked vehicles in the vicinity, NHTSA said. The child ran across the street from behind a double-parked SUV toward the school and was struck by the Waymo vehicle. In a blog post, Waymo said its vehicle was traveling at 17mph when its autonomous system detected the child and then "braked hard," reducing its speed to 6mph before "contact was made." The child "stood up immediately, walked to the sidewalk," and Waymo said it called 911.
"The vehicle moved to the side of the road, and stayed there until law enforcement cleared the vehicle to leave the scene," it said. NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation said it would examine whether "exercised appropriate caution given, among other things, its proximity to the elementary school during drop off hours, and the presence of young pedestrians and other potential vulnerable road users." The office also will look into Waymo's "intended behavior in school zones and neighboring areas, especially during normal school pick up/drop off times, including but not limited to its adherence to posted speed limits." Waymo claims that its autonomous system's reaction likely prevented more serious injuries to the child. Citing its own model, it said that a "fully attentive human driver in the same situation would have made contact with the pedestrian at approximately 14 mph.
This significant reduction in impact speed and severity is a demonstration of the material safety benefit of the Waymo Driver." The incident comes after the National Transportation Safety Board said it would open its own investigation into incidents of Waymo robotaxis driving past school buses engaged in student pickups and drop-offs in Austin, Texas.
Did the robotaxi act as intended? The incident occurred on Jan. 23 in Santa Monica, when a Waymo vehicle struck a child running across the street from behind a double‑parked SUV during normal school drop‑off hours.
Minor injuries were reported, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation. Waymo is already facing scrutiny for earlier incidents in which its robotaxis allegedly passed school buses illegally during student pickups and drop‑offs, a context that adds weight to current inquiry. A crossing guard and several other children were, and double‑parked vehicles crowded the roadway, but the precise sequence that led the autonomous system to collide with the child has not been disclosed.
Waymo issued a blog post acknowledging the event, yet details on any software or sensor adjustments remain unclear. The investigation will determine whether the vehicle’s perception, decision‑making or external factors contributed to the crash. A troubling moment.
Until findings are released, the safety of autonomous taxis operating near schools remains uncertain.
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Common Questions Answered
How many times has Waymo been cited for illegally passing stopped school buses in Austin, Texas?
According to the Austin Independent School District, Waymo has received 20 citations for illegally passing stopped school buses since the beginning of the school year. The school district noted that five of these incidents occurred after Waymo claimed to have implemented software updates to resolve the issue.
What action is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) taking regarding Waymo's autonomous vehicles?
NHTSA has opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE25013) to investigate Waymo's autonomous driving system's performance around stopped school buses. The investigation aims to identify the scope of the issue and determine how Waymo's vehicles are failing to comply with traffic safety laws concerning school buses.
What steps is Waymo taking to address the school bus incidents?
Waymo has identified a software issue contributing to the school bus incidents and implemented updates on November 17, which they claim improved vehicle performance. The company plans to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA and continues to analyze and make necessary fixes to their autonomous driving system.
How did the Austin Independent School District respond to Waymo's school bus incidents?
The Austin Independent School District sent a letter to Waymo requesting that the company cease operations during school pick-up and drop-off hours until more comprehensive software updates are completed. When Waymo denied this request, the district remained concerned about the potential endangerment of students.