Waymo, a company pioneering fully autonomous driverless vehicles in the United States, is currently under investigation following incidents where its vehicles collided with parked cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is scrutinizing 22 incidents involving Waymo’s fifth-generation autonomous driving system. While no injuries were reported in 17 of these incidents, the collisions have raised concerns about the safety of autonomous vehicles.
Waymo’s autonomous vehicles, operating at Level 5 autonomy, are already actively deployed in some cities in the United States. However, despite their innovative technology, these vehicles have been involved in a number of incidents. The latest investigation stems from concerns over collisions with parked cars.
Upon closer examination of the incidents, reports indicate that the collisions involved stationary or semi-stationary objects such as posts and chains, along with instances where Waymo vehicles failed to comply with certain traffic rules. Many of the reports highlight issues with Waymo’s automated driving systems. Some incidents specifically mention Waymo vehicles colliding with parked cars.
Waymo acknowledges that there are some issues but emphasizes that its vehicles are far superior to human drivers in preventing serious accidents. The company claims that in the three cities where it operates, the likelihood of human drivers causing injuries is four to seven times higher compared to Waymo vehicles. Nevertheless, Waymo stresses the importance of NHTSA’s investigations and asserts that they continuously update their autonomous systems based on reported incidents.
As the development of autonomous vehicles progresses, ensuring their safety and reliability remains a top priority, and investigations like these play a crucial role in shaping the future of autonomous transportation.
