The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has concluded its investigation into Waymo, the autonomous division of Alphabet, after a thorough 14-month review regarding incidents involving self-driving vehicles.
Results of NHTSA's Investigation on Waymo
The closure of the investigation was confirmed on July 25, 2024, and came without any enforcement actions. The probe was initiated in May 2024 after the agency received 22 complaints related to Waymo’s self-driving robotaxis. NHTSA focused on determining the vehicles' adherence to traffic rules and their unpredictable behavior, which included 17 reports of crashes.
Waymo's Response to Identified Issues
In reviewing the case, NHTSA based its decision on Waymo's two voluntary recalls and its own technical evaluation. The first recall was issued in early 2024 following one of the company's vehicles hitting a utility pole. The second recall in May affected over 1,200 vehicles and included software updates aimed at enhancing obstacle detection capabilities. NHTSA stated that several incidents involved collisions with clearly visible objects that any competent driver would be expected to avoid.
Future of Waymo and Service Expansion
Currently, Waymo operates over 1,500 autonomous vehicles across cities including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, completing over 250,000 fully driverless rides each week. The company expanded its services to Atlanta and aims to launch in New York, Miami, and Washington, D.C. However, local authorities are expressing concerns about the viability of self-driving cars. The Boston City Council held a hearing to discuss the legality of autonomous cars in the city, revealing that public trust is still lacking.
In summary, following the conclusion of the 14-month NHTSA investigation, Waymo continues to advance its autonomous vehicle services despite local officials' concerns and the need for discussions regarding future rollouts.