Waymo
Waymo has been named in 3 documented digital harm incidents, including 1 fatality and 1 involving minor. The most common harm domain is Autonomous Systems, followed by Child Safety.
Documented Incidents
3Waymo robotaxi strikes child outside Santa Monica elementary school, federal investigation launched
In Santa Monica, California, a Waymo driverless robotaxi traveling at approximately 35 mph collided with a juvenile who opened the vehicle’s door outside an elementary school. The teen sustained injuries but survived, and emergency responders were called to the scene. The crash triggered a federal investigation into Waymo’s safety practices, adding to ongoing scrutiny such as the NTSB probe into the company’s behavior around school buses. Experts warned that higher speeds could have resulted in a far more severe outcome.
Waymo driverless robotaxi involved in first fatal U.S. crash in San Francisco
A Waymo robotaxi stopped at a traffic light was rear‑ended in a multi‑vehicle collision at the intersection of 6th and Harrison Streets in San Francisco, resulting in the death of a passenger in another vehicle and a dog, and injuring seven others. This marks the first fatal incident in the United States involving a fully autonomous vehicle with no human driver present. Authorities, including the San Francisco Police Department and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are investigating the crash, while Waymo maintains the autonomous car was not at fault. The incident highlights safety and regulatory concerns surrounding driverless car deployments.
Waymo robotaxis collide with gates and chains in 16 incidents, triggering NHTSA investigation and recall
Between December 2022 and April 2024, Waymo autonomous vehicles experienced at least seven low-speed collisions with stationary and semi-stationary objects such as gates and chains — obstacles that human drivers would normally avoid. NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation in May 2024. Waymo subsequently reported nine additional collisions with similar barriers, bringing the total to 16. No injuries were reported. The failures were attributed to the fifth-generation Automated Driving System's inability to reliably classify thin or semi-stationary objects under certain conditions. Waymo deployed a software fix in November 2024 and formally issued a recall for 1,212 vehicles in May 2025 after the fix had already been applied. The recall followed two earlier 2024 Waymo software recalls: one in February after two robotaxis struck the same tow truck, and one in June after a vehicle hit a telephone pole in Phoenix.