Waymo Submits Safety Documentation to Federal Regulators Following Robotaxi School Zone Crash

Autonomous vehicle developer Waymo has submitted formal responses to federal auto safety regulators as part of an ongoing inquiry into a January incident where a self-driving taxicab struck a child at low speed.

The initial batch of corporate submissions was posted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website on Friday following inquiries from TechCrunch. While the public filings released thus far are heavily redacted under exceptions for confidential business information, federal oversight officials stated they are processing remaining responses and will upload additional materials to the public docket once complete.

The federal investigation stems from a January 23 incident in Santa Monica, California. According to preliminary documentation released in March by the National Transportation Safety Board, a nine-year-old girl walked into the road near an active school site as a Waymo Jaguar I-Pace approached at 17 miles per hour. The vehicle deployed its automated braking systems, decelerating to 6 miles per hour before contacting the child near its front-right headlight assembly.

Following the low-speed impact, the child fell down before walking to the sidewalk. She reported minor injuries that did not require medical transportation, according to safety investigators. The NTSB investigation runs parallel to federal regulatory reviews and typically takes up to a year to yield a final report.

NHTSA opened its formal probe one week after the crash, delivering a list of 12 detailed questions to Waymo on March 23. The agency asked the Alphabet subsidiary to explain how its autonomous technology determines speed limits in school zones, produce historical records of any complaints regarding vehicle behavior near school grounds, and supply technical software documentation.

Regulators originally set a May 8 deadline for Waymo's Office of Defects Investigation filing, but corporate correspondence indicates the company requested additional time in a May 1 letter. Matthew Schwall, senior director of safety at Waymo, wrote to regulators that the company aimed to provide pertinent information while avoiding excessive administrative burdens on both parties.

Federal officials subsequently granted extension requests covering 10 of the 12 questions after Waymo submitted partial responses in early July. Waymo confirmed to TechCrunch that it has now finished submitting all required responses to the regulatory body.