Waymo’s Robotaxis Exhibit Encouraging Safety Outcomes in Recent Report

Waymo, the self-driving vehicle firm that is a part of Alphabet, has accumulated almost 57 million miles with its autonomous robotaxis in various prominent U.S. cities, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta. With such a vast amount of distance traveled, the company has recently published a research paper that highlights impressive safety statistics.

The document centers on incidents involving Waymo vehicles and “vulnerable road users”—which encompasses pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. The results indicate that Waymo’s self-driving electric Jaguars have been involved in:

– 92% fewer injury-related crashes with pedestrians,
– 82% fewer injury-involving crashes with cyclists,
– 82% fewer injury-related crashes with motorcyclists,

when compared to human operators in the same regions.

The findings also pointed to a notable decline in vehicle-to-vehicle accidents. Waymo vehicles faced:

– 96% fewer intersection collisions resulting in injuries,
– 85% fewer crashes leading to suspected serious or greater injuries.

Jonathan Adkins, CEO of the nonprofit Governors Highway Safety Association, commended the results in a statement shared by Waymo. “It’s uplifting to see real-world data that indicates Waymo is surpassing human drivers concerning safety,” he remarked. “Fewer accidents and reduced injuries—especially for those walking and biking—are precisely the advancements we wish to witness from autonomous vehicles.”

As Waymo plans to broaden its services to additional cities like Washington, D.C., Miami, and even Tokyo, inquiries surface regarding whether this technology can enhance the safety of entire urban transportation systems. David Kidd, Senior Research Scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), mentions that the potential exists, though the influence is not yet widespread.

“Waymo has demonstrated that their individual vehicles are more secure than human drivers,” Kidd informed Mashable. “However, the service has not yet reached a scale where we can definitively state it’s enhancing the safety of entire cities. Nevertheless, the technology and safety record exemplify promising signs.”

What Distinguishes Waymo?

Kidd highlights that Waymo has been consistently transparent in its findings, publishing thorough reports and making crash and mileage data accessible to the public on its website. This degree of transparency differentiates Waymo from other autonomous vehicle manufacturers like Tesla and General Motors’ Cruise.

“No other AV company is doing this right now,” Kidd asserted. “Waymo is at the forefront in terms of transparency, and we hope others will emulate this approach.”

Can AVs Aid in Diminishing Pedestrian and Cyclist Deaths?

Pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. have surged since 2009, with an 83% increase in fatal pedestrian crashes documented between 2009 and 2022. Kidd is optimistic that Waymo’s technology could help counteract this trend.

“Automated vehicles excel at avoiding conflicts with pedestrians, and this study supports that,” he noted. “Yet AVs are not universally available yet. To genuinely lower pedestrian fatalities, a combination of solutions will be required—enhanced vehicle technology, smarter infrastructure, and heightened awareness among both drivers and pedestrians.”

Will AV Rideshare Services Independently Diminish Crash Fatalities?

While individual Waymo vehicles have demonstrated superior safety, Kidd argues that the subsequent step is to assess whether increasing the number of AVs in a city leads to broader safety advancements.

“They’ve proven that their vehicles are involved in fewer accidents than human drivers in the same locations,” he explained. “Now we must determine if deploying hundreds or thousands of Waymo vehicles enhances the safety of the entire transportation framework.”

Kidd also points out the potential for Waymo’s technology to impact the larger automotive industry. There are speculations about a possible partnership between Waymo and Toyota, which could facilitate the integration of advanced safety features from AVs into consumer vehicles.

“If Waymo’s algorithms and safety systems can be incorporated into cars that consumers can purchase, we could witness swift advancements in vehicle safety across the board,” Kidd stated.

How AV Technology Can Elevate Safety for All Vehicles

AVs present a vision of how cars can become more proactive in preventing accidents. For instance, they can foresee when another vehicle might run a red light at an intersection and slow down to prevent a collision.

“AVs also emphasize human behaviors that lead to accidents—such as speeding, impairment, and distraction,” Kidd elucidated. “Automated vehicles don’t exceed speed limits, they’re not under the influence, and they’re not distracted. Just removing those factors could avert a significant amount of fatalities.”

As Waymo continues to expand and enhance its technology, the aspiration is that insights gained from its robotaxis will ultimately benefit all motorists—whether they are driving or riding in an autonomous vehicle.