Child struck by Waymo autonomous vehicle near Grant elementary school in Santa Monica

A Waymo robotaxi hit a child near Grant Elementary School on January 23 during morning drop-off hours. The low-speed incident (vehicle slowed from 17 mph to 6 mph) caused minor injuries after the child entered the roadway from behind a double-parked SUV. Federal regulators (NHTSA) opened an investigation, highlighting ongoing concerns about self-driving cars in school zones.

A Waymo autonomous vehicle struck a child near Grant Elementary School in Santa Monica on January 23, prompting a federal investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The incident occurred during morning school drop-off hours near the intersection of 24th Street and Pearl Street, within two blocks of the school. According to Waymo and NHTSA reports, the child suddenly entered the roadway from behind a double-parked SUV, moving directly into the path of the self-driving Jaguar I-Pace robotaxi, which was operating without a human safety driver.The vehicle immediately detected the pedestrian and braked hard, reducing its speed from approximately 17 miles per hour to under 6 miles per hour before making low-speed contact. The child sustained minor injuries in the collision.

Waymo voluntarily reported the event to federal regulators on the same day and stated that its system reacted faster than a typical human driver might have in similar circumstances. The company emphasized its commitment to transparency and road safety, pledging full cooperation with the ongoing probe.The NHTSA has opened a preliminary evaluation (PE26001) to assess whether the Waymo automated driving system exercised appropriate caution in the school zone, particularly given the presence of young pedestrians, drop-off traffic, and other vulnerable road users.

Investigators will examine the vehicle's intended behavior near schools during peak hours, as well as its post-impact response. This development adds to broader scrutiny of autonomous vehicles in sensitive environments, highlighting ongoing debates about the technology's performance amid busy school routines in Santa Monica.