The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Thursday it is investigating an incident in which a Waymo car struck a child near a Santa Monica elementary school.
The child was struck by the self-driving car Friday during school drop-off hours while running across the street from behind a double-parked SUV, according to the agency. They sustained minor injuries.
The NHTSA is investigating whether the Waymo car “exercised appropriate caution” given its closeness to the elementary school during drop-off hours and the presence of young pedestrians.
Waymo, which reported the incident Wednesday, said in a statement that it will “cooperate fully” with the agency throughout the probe.
“At Waymo, we are committed to improving road safety, both for our riders and all those with whom we share the road,” it said. “Part of that commitment is being transparent when incidents occur.”
The company underscored that its technology “immediately detected the individual as soon as they began to emerge from behind the stopped vehicle” and slowed from about 17 miles per hour to 6 miles per hour before striking the child.
