Waymo Under Investigation for Autonomous Driving System Performance

Waymo, a leading autonomous driving firm, is currently under scrutiny by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) due to concerns about the performance of its fifth-generation autonomous driving system. The Office of Defects Investigation has received reports of 22 incidents involving vehicles equipped with Waymo’s automated driving system.

Incidents and Concerns

The reported incidents include collisions with stationary and semi-stationary objects, parked vehicles, and instances where the automated driving system appeared to disobey traffic safety control devices. Some crashes occurred shortly after the system exhibited unexpected behavior near traffic safety control devices.

Government Investigation

The NHTSA is investigating these incidents to understand whether the autonomous driving system was engaged or disengaged during the events. The wide range of events makes the investigation complex, but the government aims to determine commonalities and identify the root cause of the issues.

Waymo’s Response

Waymo has emphasized its commitment to safety and transparency, stating that they are proud of their safety record over millions of autonomous miles driven. The company remains cooperative with the investigation while ensuring that no injuries were reported in any of the incidents.

Future Steps

The Office of Defects Investigation has initiated a preliminary evaluation to assess the performance of Waymo’s fifth-generation automated driving system. The evaluation will focus on how the technology detects and responds to traffic control devices, avoids collisions, and handles various scenarios encountered during the incidents.

Overall, the investigation aims to enhance the safety and reliability of autonomous driving systems to prevent future incidents and ensure public safety.