Waymo Responds to NHTSA’s Investigation into January Crash

Waymo, the self-driving car technology company, has finally handed over documents to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as part of the regulator’s investigation into a January crash where a robotaxi struck a 9-year-old girl at low speed.

According to TechCrunch, an initial batch of documents was posted to NHTSA’s website on Friday morning after TechCrunch inquired about them earlier in the week. The agency told TechCrunch that it is ‘reviewing other responses and will publish them in the investigation file upon completion.’

The responses from Waymo that were available at the time this article was published were entirely redacted, citing ‘confidential business information.’ While the information is redacted, the posted responses signal that the investigation is progressing after Waymo was granted extra time to prepare them.

Questions and Investigation

NHTSA asked for a wide swath of information about how Waymo determines speed limits in school zones, whether the company has received any complaints about how its robotaxis behave around schools, and for documentation about Waymo’s software, among other things.

The crash in question occurred on January 23 in Santa Monica, California. One of Waymo’s Jaguar I-Pace robotaxis was traveling near a school when a 9-year-old girl stepped into the street. The robotaxi was traveling 17 miles per hour, but it braked and reduced its speed to six miles per hour before colliding with the student ‘near its front-right headlight assembly,’ according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released in March.

The child fell, then walked to the curb and reported minor injuries, according to that report. She did not need medical transport. The NTSB’s investigation is separate from the one being performed by NHTSA. It typically releases a final, more detailed report after 12 months.

NHTSA announced it was investigating the crash one week after it happened, and the regulator sent 12 questions (some with sub-questions) to Waymo on March 23. Waymo’s initial deadline to respond to questions from NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) was May 8, but the documents posted Friday show the company asked for an extension in a letter dated May 1.

‘Our mutual goal is for Waymo to provide relevant information that facilitates ODI’s investigation, while avoiding extraordinary production and review burdens for Waymo and NHTSA ODI that would otherwise not benefit the agency’s investigation,’ Matthew Schwall, Waymo’s senior director of safety, wrote in the letter.

Waymo asked NHTSA to clarify some of the questions in its May 1 letter while asking for an extension. Waymo provided responses to some of the questions in a second letter dated July 8. NHTSA granted Waymo additional time to answer 10 of its 12 questions. Waymo told TechCrunch on Thursday that it has completed its submissions.

The investigation is ongoing, and it remains to be seen what the outcome will be. However, one thing is certain: the safety of passengers and pedestrians in self-driving cars is a top priority, and Waymo’s cooperation with NHTSA is a crucial step in ensuring that these vehicles are safe for everyone on the road.

Below are some of the questions that NHTSA sent to Waymo as part of its investigation:

• How does Waymo determine speed limits in school zones?
• Has the company received any complaints about how its robotaxis behave around schools?
• For documentation about Waymo’s software, including any relevant code or algorithms.
• Details about the robotaxi’s sensors and cameras, including any relevant data or logs.
• Information about the robotaxi’s braking system, including any relevant data or logs.
• Details about the robotaxi’s speed control system, including any relevant data or logs.
• Information about the robotaxi’s software updates, including any relevant data or logs.
• Details about the robotaxi’s maintenance history, including any relevant data or logs.

NHTSA will continue to investigate this incident and work with Waymo to ensure that self-driving cars are safe for everyone on the road.

Waymo’s cooperation with NHTSA is a crucial step in ensuring that these vehicles are safe for everyone on the road.