Waymo Under Federal Investigation After Self-Driving Car Strikes Child

Child Struck by Waymo Vehicle

• ⚠️ A Waymo self-driving car struck a child near Grant Elementary School in Santa Monica last Friday during drop-off hours.
• 💡 The child, who was walking to school, suffered minor injuries and reportedly entered the roadway from behind a tall SUV.
• 🚗 Waymo stated that a fully attentive human driver in the same situation would have also made contact with the pedestrian.
• 🔍 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into the incident.

Waymo's Response and Context

• 📄 Waymo has issued a statement describing the child's sudden entry into the road from behind a double-parked SUV.
• 🚦 The NHTSA noted the presence of a crossing guard and several double-parked vehicles in the vicinity at the time of the incident.

Previous Waymo Incidents

• 💥 This incident follows a string of other Waymo-related events, including a crash in Echo Park the previous Sunday.
• 🚗 In the Echo Park incident, a Waymo vehicle crashed into several parked cars, though no riders were present and the car was in manual driving mode with a human operator.
• 🗣️ Residents in the area have reported multiple incidents involving Waymo vehicles on their street.

Operational and Legal Challenges

• 🔊 Waymo has faced local opposition regarding noise from its charging depots, leading to a unanimous Santa Monica City Council vote for overnight operation suspension.
• ⚖️ In response to the city's decision, Waymo has filed a lawsuit against the City of Santa Monica.