California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is currently looking into an incident involving a driverless Waymo vehicle and a cyclist. The collision, which occurred on Tuesday, resulted in non-fatal injuries to the cyclist, as reported by San Francisco police. Waymo, a subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, stated that there was only one individual in the car at the time of the incident, and that person did not sustain any injuries. The company promptly notified the police following the collision.
Key Takeaway
The California DMV is investigating an incident involving a Waymo driverless car and a cyclist, highlighting the ongoing scrutiny of autonomous taxi companies in the state.
Waymo’s Account of the Incident
According to Waymo, the driverless car had come to a stop at a four-way intersection as a large truck was approaching from the opposite direction. Subsequently, the vehicle proceeded into the intersection and collided with the cyclist, who had been obscured by the truck. Waymo explained that their vehicle applied heavy braking upon the cyclist becoming fully visible, but was unable to avoid the collision.
Waymo’s Operations and Regulatory Status
Waymo initiated its robotaxi services for approved riders in San Francisco in August 2021. In September of the same year, the company received regulatory approval from The California Department of Motor Vehicles to commence charging for these taxi services. However, the official launch of the paid service was contingent on approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which was granted in August 2022. In October, Waymo further expanded its service areas in San Francisco to accommodate tens of thousands of riders.
Scrutiny of Autonomous Taxi Companies
The incident involving Waymo comes at a time when autonomous taxi companies are under increased scrutiny. Cruise, a subsidiary of GM, faced a similar situation last year when its entire fleet of autonomous taxis was recalled after a pedestrian was struck by one of the vehicles. Additionally, a recent internal report from Cruise revealed that the Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are conducting investigations into the company.
