Waymo’s autonomous vehicles, now operational in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta, have collectively traveled nearly 57 million miles, according to the company. The Alphabet-owned entity recently published a research paper showcasing noteworthy data.
This report focuses on incidents involving Waymo’s vehicles and “vulnerable road users.” Compared to human drivers, Waymo’s self-driving electric Jaguars were involved in 92% fewer pedestrian injury crashes, 82% fewer cyclist injury crashes, and 82% fewer motorcyclist injury crashes. Additionally, there was a 96% reduction in injury-causing intersection crashes and an 85% decrease in crashes with suspected serious injuries when compared to human drivers.
Jonathan Adkins, CEO of the Governors Highway Safety Association, commented on the report in Waymo’s press release, stating that the decreased crash and injury rates, especially for pedestrians and cyclists, are the types of advancements hoped for from autonomous vehicles.
Waymo’s plans to expand services to Washington, D.C., Miami, and Tokyo could enhance road safety in those locations. David Kidd, Senior Research Scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, noted that while Waymo’s individual vehicles are often safer, their limited deployment does not yet significantly improve overall city road safety. Kidd emphasized Waymo’s effective technology and safety record as positive signs of potential broader impact.
Kidd highlighted that Waymo distinguishes itself by conducting research that publicly demonstrates vehicle safety, unlike other companies such as Tesla and General Motors’ Cruise. Waymo’s transparency allows replication and analysis of their findings.
Despite an increase in pedestrian fatalities since 2009, Kidd believes that automated vehicles can help address the issue by avoiding conflicts with pedestrians. However, widespread AV deployment and additional measures like infrastructure changes and driver awareness are necessary to meaningfully reduce pedestrian crashes.
Waymo’s achievements suggest potential advancements in automotive safety technology. Their potential collaboration with Toyota may help transfer these advancements to consumer vehicles.
Automated vehicles offer solutions to several factors behind crashes, such as speeding and impairment, by adhering strictly to laws. This adherence could significantly reduce crash fatalities.
