tech
January 29, 2026
US regulators open inquiry into Waymo self-driving car that struck child in California
Federal transportation regulator to investigate after child in Santa Monica sustained minor injuries from incident
TL;DR
- NHTSA is investigating a Waymo self-driving vehicle that struck a child in Santa Monica, California.
- The child sustained minor injuries after running from behind a double-parked SUV.
- The investigation will assess Waymo's caution near an elementary school during drop-off hours and its response after the impact.
- Waymo claims its vehicle braked from 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact, stating a human driver would have hit the child at 14 mph.
- NHTSA is also investigating Waymo vehicles' behavior around school buses and potential failure to stop or slow down for children.
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