A Waymo hit a child near an elementary school. The NHTSA is investigating

Waymo, the self-driving vehicle division of Alphabet, has reported a concerning incident to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) involving one of its autonomous vehicles. The incident occurred on January 23 near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, where a child was struck by the vehicle during school drop-off hours. According to the NHTSA, the child, who suffered only minor injuries, ran across the street from behind a double-parked SUV when the collision occurred. At the time, several other children, a crossing guard, and parked vehicles were in the vicinity. The NHTSA's documentation indicated that the Waymo vehicle was operating with its 5th Generation Automated Driving System and did not have a human safety operator present. The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation is now evaluating whether the Waymo vehicle acted appropriately given its proximity to the school and the presence of young pedestrians. The agency's investigation will focus on the vehicle's behavior in school zones, especially during peak drop-off and pick-up times, as well as Waymo's response following the incident. In a blog post, Waymo stated that its technology detected the child as soon as they emerged from behind the stopped SUV. The vehicle reduced its speed significantly, dropping from approximately 17 mph to under 6 mph before the impact. The company noted that a human driver would likely have made contact at a higher speed of around 14 mph, highlighting the purported safety benefits of their technology. Following the low-speed collision, Waymo reported that the child immediately stood up and walked to the sidewalk while the vehicle remained stationary until law enforcement allowed it to leave the scene. This incident adds to the scrutiny facing Waymo, as it is already under investigation for allegedly passing stopped school buses in various locations. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into these reports, which included at least 19 instances noted by the Austin Independent School District. Both the NTSB and NHTSA play critical roles in vehicle safety oversight in the U.S., but they have different responsibilities. The NTSB investigates incidents to uncover their causes and make safety recommendations, while the NHTSA focuses on regulating vehicle performance and safety compliance.