The kid was struck by a Waymo throughout regular college drop-off hours.
Revealed On 29 Jan 2026
America Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) mentioned it’s opening an investigation after a Waymo self-driving car struck a toddler close to an elementary college in Santa Monica, California, final week, inflicting minor accidents and renewing issues in regards to the security of robotaxis.
The automotive security company mentioned on Thursday that the kid ran throughout the road on January 23 from behind a double-parked SUV in the direction of the college and was struck by the Alphabet-unit Waymo autonomous car throughout regular college drop-off hours. The company mentioned there have been different kids, a crossing guard, and several other double-parked autos within the neighborhood.
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The incident comes as robotaxis are being deployed in rising numbers throughout the nation. The US Senate Commerce Committee had already scheduled a listening to on self-driving vehicles for February 4, which can embody Waymo Chief Security Officer Mauricio Pena.
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB) additionally mentioned it would examine the incident.
Waymo mentioned in a weblog submit on Thursday that it’ll cooperate within the investigation and mentioned the kid “instantly entered the roadway from behind a tall SUV, transferring instantly into our car’s path”.
It added that the self-driving car instantly detected the person as quickly because the baby emerged from behind the stopped car, braking onerous and decreasing pace from roughly 17 miles per hour (27 kilometres per hour) to below 6mph (10km/h) earlier than contact was made.
NHTSA is opening a preliminary analysis to research whether or not the Waymo AV exercised acceptable warning given its proximity to the elementary college throughout drop-off hours, and the presence of younger pedestrians and different potential susceptible highway customers.
The company mentioned it plans to look at the car’s “meant behaviour in class zones and neighbouring areas, particularly throughout regular college pick-up and drop-off instances, together with however not restricted to its adherence to posted pace limits” and can “additionally examine Waymo’s post-impact response”.
Rising incidents
Waymo mentioned a pc mannequin instructed a totally attentive human driver on this identical scenario would have made contact with the pedestrian at roughly 14mph (23km/h). After the collision, the kid stood up instantly, walked to the pavement, and Waymo known as 911.
“The car remained stopped, moved to the facet of the highway, and stayed there till regulation enforcement cleared the car to go away the scene,” Waymo mentioned.
The identical day because the incident, the NTSB opened an investigation into Waymo after its robotaxis illegally handed stopped college buses in Austin, Texas, no less than 19 instances because the begin of the college yr.
Waymo in December recalled greater than 3,000 autos to replace the software program that had brought on autos to drive previous stopped college buses that have been loading or unloading college students, growing the chance of a crash. NHTSA opened a probe in October into Waymo autos close to college buses.
Waymo mentioned there have been no collisions within the incidents. The Austin Unbiased College District mentioned 5 incidents occurred in November after Waymo put in software program updates to resolve the problem. The college system requested the corporate to halt operations round faculties throughout pick-up and drop-off instances till it may make sure the autos wouldn’t violate the regulation. In December, the college district advised the Reuters information company that Waymo had refused to halt operations round faculties.
In late December, a Waymo crushed to death a cat in San Francisco and a month later, a canine met the identical destiny.
