While Waymo cites data showing its robotaxis crash far less often than human drivers, a TechCrunch investigation using OSHA records found that Waymo and Amazon-owned Zoox caused dozens of test-driver injuries like whiplash and sprains during 2026 training runs, often from abrupt braking or driving errors. The report notes OSHA's data is incomplete due to narrow reporting requirements, and injuries reportedly continued at Zoox through the year.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has partnered with SAE International on a new initiative called ASCEND, aimed at creating standardized, data-driven performance benchmarks for automated driving systems. The effort comes as regulators grapple with vehicles like the Tesla Cybercab and Zoox robotaxi, which lack pedals, steering wheels, and mirrors required under existing federal vehicle safety rules. NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said the goal is to build a framework that prioritizes safety without forcing the agency into reactive, case-by-case policymaking.
Academics led by Eindhoven University's Pavlo Bazilinskyy are hosting an industry workshop this week focused on deterring passengers from having sex in autonomous vehicles, which lack a human driver to enforce norms. The team, drawing from systems engineering, psychology and tourism studies, is using the topic to explore broader questions about behavior and design in shared robotaxi spaces.
Waymo announced plans to bring its autonomous vehicles to Singapore, marking its expansion beyond the US and into a second Asian market after Tokyo. Jaguar I-PACE vehicles will arrive soon so specialists can manually drive and map Singapore's roads throughout 2027, adjusting Waymo's systems for local road layouts and weather before public rides begin via its app in 2028.
Waymo announced plans to bring its autonomous ride-hailing service to Singapore, with vehicles arriving within months to begin mapping and safety-driver testing in 2027 ahead of a public launch in 2028. The company must first pass safety assessments from Singapore's Land Transport Authority and its CETRAN testing center before carrying passengers, and it has already set up a local entity and joined the city-state's autonomous vehicle steering committee.
Waymo has relaunched paid robotaxi service in San Antonio five months after several of its vehicles got stuck in an April flash flood, with one car swept away by rising water. The company says it updated its software to better detect and avoid standing water, and will now operate dozens of vehicles across a 60-mile zone covering downtown and the airport.
Waymo says its robotaxi detected a terms-of-service violation involving a firearm, pulled over, and alerted emergency responders, leading police to arrest two teenagers after allegedly finding a loaded AR-style ghost gun inside the car. The incident adds to a growing list of episodes where Waymo vehicles have supplied footage or triggered law enforcement action, including hit-and-run evidence and protest surveillance concerns.
Autonomous ride-hailing company May Mobility is merging with special purpose acquisition company ACP Holdings Acquisition Corp., a deal that could raise over $300 million and value the combined company at $1.4 billion. May Mobility says it will become the first U.S. public company focused solely on autonomous ride-hailing, distinguishing itself from broader autonomy players like Tesla, Waymo and Aurora.
Director Alex Gibney's latest documentary traces Elon Musk's trajectory from dot-com millionaire to a figure wielding outsized influence over US government departments. Spanning nearly four hours, the film chronologically documents Musk's mythmaking around PayPal and Tesla, juxtaposed with footage of an autopilot fatality and interviews including Ashley St Clair calling Musk 'a nuke.' Gibney frames the film around two questions: how Musk amassed such power, and why society allowed it.
Waymo's in-cabin sensors flagged two juvenile passengers handling a loaded AR-style firearm in San Francisco's Outer Richmond neighborhood, prompting the company to notify police. Officers conducted a high-risk stop early on September 3, arresting the pair and also finding suspected marijuana and mace spray in the vehicle.
A Waymo self-driving vehicle in San Francisco detected a firearm violation among its passengers and pulled over, prompting a call to police. Officers arrested two juvenile riders found with a loaded AR-style ghost gun and took them to juvenile hall. Waymo confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that its system flagged the terms-of-service breach involving a weapon before stopping the car.
As Tesla's autonomous Cybercab vehicles begin appearing in cities including Austin, New York, Washington DC, and San Diego, several personal injury law firms are already publishing marketing material aimed at potential accident victims. Firms such as Sarofiem and Antoun, Funes Law, and Angel Reyes and Associates are positioning themselves to handle liability claims even though no confirmed Cybercab accidents have occurred yet.
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