Editor-Curated Robotics Industry Briefing - RobotToday

Waymo Submits Documents to NHTSA in Investigation of Child Collision Incident

Waymo has submitted initial documents to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding a January incident where a robotaxi struck a child in Santa Monica, California. The documents, which were redacted due to confidential business information, indicate that the investigation is moving forward after Waymo requested additional time to prepare its responses. This incident, which occurred on January 23, involved a Waymo Jaguar I-Pace robotaxi traveling at 17 miles per hour before braking to 6 miles per hour upon encountering a nine-year-old girl. The child reported minor injuries but did not require medical transport. The NHTSA is examining how Waymo sets speed limits in school zones and has asked for documentation about the company's software and any complaints related to robotaxi behavior near schools. Looking ahead, NHTSA is reviewing further responses from Waymo and will publish them in the investigation file once completed. The NTSB is conducting a separate investigation and will release a detailed report after 12 months. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.