US Transportation Authority demands explanations from Waymo about disturbing incidents with autonomous cars – safety concerns after accidents and unexpected driving behavior.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving vehicle company, detailed information on a series of concerning incidents. In May, NHTSA opened an investigation after 22 reports of Waymo’s robotaxis potentially violating traffic laws or driving unexpectedly. There were 17 accidents.
The NHTSA is concerned as some incidents involved collisions with clearly visible objects that a competent driver should have avoided. It requires comprehensive details by August 6 on all Waymo rides on public roads – whether vehicles have been taken off the road, tests have been conducted and updates have been installed to address specific incidents.
According to NHTSA, some cases appeared to disregard traffic laws. The authority is concerned that such unexpected driving behavior could increase the risk of accidents, property damage and injury, as many incidents occur near other road users such as Pedestrians took place.
It’s the latest NHTSA investigation into self-driving car performance issues following audits of GM Cruise and Amazon’s services Zoox. Waymo previously said it was proud of its safety record over millions of autonomous miles driven.