Waymo Defends Self-Driving Safety, Highlights Chinese AV Race
- tech360.tv
- 1 hour ago
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Waymo, an Alphabet-unit, will defend its safety record before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, following federal agencies opening investigations into incidents involving its self-driving vehicles. The organisation also urged Congress to pass legislation for autonomous vehicles, citing a global race with Chinese companies.
Federal investigations commenced after a Waymo vehicle struck a child near an elementary school, and other incidents involved robotaxis driving past loading or unloading parked school buses. These probes are being conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Waymo Chief Safety Officer Mauricio Pena stated in written testimony that its self-driving vehicles have "been involved in 10 times fewer serious injury or worse crashes" compared to human drivers covering the same mileage under identical conditions. Pena added that an independent audit recently reviewed the organisation's safety efforts.
Waymo called on Congress to advance self-driving vehicle legislation, arguing U.S. leadership "in the autonomous vehicle sector is now under direct threat." The company described the United States as being "locked in a global race with Chinese AV companies for the future of autonomous driving, a trillion-dollar industry comparable in strategic importance to flight and space travel."
Tesla vehicle engineering vice president Lars Moravy, in separate testimony, also emphasised the need for Congress to modernise regulations that hinder innovation within the industry. Moravy warned, "If the U.S. does not lead in AV development, other nations—particularly China—will shape the technology, standards, and global market."
Moravy further stated, "And perhaps more importantly, China will be the dominant manufacturer of transportation for the 21st Century." This aligns with Waymo's concerns regarding international competition in the autonomous vehicle sector.
In October, NHTSA opened an investigation into 2.9 million Tesla vehicles equipped with its FSD system due to dozens of reports of traffic-safety violations and crashes. In Oct. 2024, NHTSA initiated another investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles with FSD following four collisions under conditions of reduced roadway visibility.
Tesla states its FSD "will drive you almost anywhere with your active supervision, requiring minimal intervention" but clarifies that it does not make the car self-driving. Moravy claimed in his testimony that "Tesla vehicles with FSD (Supervised) engaged drive on average 5.1 million miles before a major collision and 1.5 million miles before a minor collision."
This figure compares to U.S. averages of 699,000 miles and 229,000 miles, respectively. Congress is currently considering legislation aimed at facilitating the deployment of autonomous vehicles without human controls.
For years, Congress has been divided on whether to pass legislation to address deployment hurdles, even as robotaxi testing has expanded. Waymo currently operates robotaxi services in Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, and Miami.
The company has completed 200 million fully autonomous miles on public roads and provides 400,000 weekly rides. Last month, Tesla began Robotaxi rides in Austin without safety monitors in the vehicles.
Waymo will defend its self-driving safety record before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee following federal investigations.
Federal probes concern incidents involving a child and school buses, conducted by the NHTSA and NTSB.
Waymo warned Congress that U.S. leadership in autonomous vehicles is threatened by Chinese AV companies.
Source: REUTERS
