A child was struck by a Waymo self-driving car near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California on January 23. The incident occurred when the child "suddenly entered the roadway" from behind an SUV and directly in front of the autonomous vehicle's path.
According to Waymo, the child suffered minor injuries. The company claims that it braked hard and slowed down rapidly, going from 17 miles per hour to 6 miles per hour before making contact with the child. This is faster than a human driver would be able to brake under similar circumstances.
Waymo has voluntarily contacted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is now conducting an investigation into the incident. The details of the incident have raised questions about the safety and effectiveness of self-driving cars, particularly in situations where children are present in the vicinity.
The incident highlights the ongoing debate over the potential risks and benefits of autonomous vehicles on public roads. As these technologies continue to advance, it is crucial that regulatory bodies like NHTSA remain vigilant and proactive in monitoring their performance and addressing any safety concerns that arise.
In this case, the fact that Waymo took swift action by contacting NHTSA suggests a commitment to transparency and accountability. However, the outcome of the investigation remains uncertain, and it will be important to wait for official findings before drawing conclusions about the incident or the overall safety record of self-driving cars.
According to Waymo, the child suffered minor injuries. The company claims that it braked hard and slowed down rapidly, going from 17 miles per hour to 6 miles per hour before making contact with the child. This is faster than a human driver would be able to brake under similar circumstances.
Waymo has voluntarily contacted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is now conducting an investigation into the incident. The details of the incident have raised questions about the safety and effectiveness of self-driving cars, particularly in situations where children are present in the vicinity.
The incident highlights the ongoing debate over the potential risks and benefits of autonomous vehicles on public roads. As these technologies continue to advance, it is crucial that regulatory bodies like NHTSA remain vigilant and proactive in monitoring their performance and addressing any safety concerns that arise.
In this case, the fact that Waymo took swift action by contacting NHTSA suggests a commitment to transparency and accountability. However, the outcome of the investigation remains uncertain, and it will be important to wait for official findings before drawing conclusions about the incident or the overall safety record of self-driving cars.
so what do u think? 
self-driving cars r supposed 2 b safer n a lot of situations, but this incident shows that they're not invincible. like, kids are curious & love 2 explore, & sometimes they make mistakes. shouldn't we just be prepared for these kinds of accidents 2 happen? 
also, how much responsibility should self-driving cars have if a child suddenly jumps into the road? 
Waymo's autopilot system is super advanced but still has some room for improvement lol! I mean, a kid just running out into the road in front of an autonomous car? That's like something out of a movie! Interesting how the company is being proactive and contacting NHTSA though. It's gonna be cool to see what the investigation comes up with 
This is literally a ticking time bomb waiting to happen! I mean, come on, a child just runs out into the road and the first thing that happens is that Waymo slams on the brakes... which, by the way, seems way too aggressive. What if it was a human driver? Would we be all like "oh no, kid got hurt"? 
And now, suddenly it's an autonomous vehicle, and suddenly everyone's like "but wait, how could they not have seen that child?" 
It's just a huge PR disaster waiting to happen...
. I mean, can't we even trust them not to hurt a kid who just steps into the road? It's like they're saying "oh no, poor child!" 
but what about all the times when it's a human driver's fault and they get away with it? The whole thing just feels so... unbalanced 
. And another thing, why didn't anyone notice the kid was even there in the first place? It's like we're relying too much on tech to save us from ourselves 
.
... we'll just have to keep waiting for those investigation results and see what happens next 