GoKawiil
Tech News
TechCrunch reporting found OSHA filings showing more than two dozen injuries among Waymo and Zoox test drivers in 2024 and 2025, many caused by hard braking or abrupt maneuvers of the autonomous vehicles. Some workers suffered whiplash and other injuries that kept them off the job for months.
OSHA disclosures reviewed by TechCrunch show test drivers for Waymo and Zoox suffered sprains, strains and whiplash when autonomous software braked hard or swerved suddenly, with 16 injuries linked to Waymo depots via contractor Transdev and up to eight tied to Zoox. Some workers were out for weeks or months, and current and former Zoox contractors say abrupt braking incidents are still occurring.
Zoox, the driverless-vehicle company Amazon acquired for $1.2 billion in 2020, has begun charging passengers for rides in San Francisco and Las Vegas. Its boxy, steering-wheel-free vehicles seat up to four people and are limited to roads with speed limits of 45 mph or below under NHTSA's approval, which permits up to 5,000 vehicles over two years.