Waymo Submits Documents for NHTSA Investigation into Robotaxi Collision with Child
Waymo has submitted documents to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as part of an ongoing investigation into a January incident where one of its robotaxis struck a child in Santa Monica, California. The initial batch of responses was posted on NHTSA’s website after TechCrunch requested them earlier in the week. While these documents were fully redacted due to confidential business information, their release indicates progress in the probe. Waymo had initially been given until May 8 to respond but received an extension and submitted some answers by July 8. The incident occurred on January 23 when a nine-year-old girl was hit at low speed while crossing near a school. The robotaxi slowed from 17 mph to six mph before impact, according to the NTSB’s preliminary report. Although the child sustained minor injuries and did not require medical transport, both NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are conducting separate investigations into the crash. NHTSA had posed a detailed set of 12 questions regarding Waymo's speed-limit determination in school zones, complaints about robotaxi behavior around schools, and software documentation. The agency granted additional time for responses to most queries after Waymo requested clarification on some issues.
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Topics: autonomous vehicles crash response NHTSA investigation robotaxis