Overview
- The collision occurred on January 23 near an elementary school in Santa Monica during drop‑off or pick‑up times, and the child sustained light injuries.
- Federal safety regulators opened an investigation into whether the automated vehicle exercised appropriate caution in a school‑zone environment and are coordinating with local police.
- NHTSA notes indicate other children were present along with a crossing guard and several improperly parked vehicles at the scene.
- Waymo says the pedestrian emerged from behind a tall SUV and that its vehicle braked hard, reducing speed from about 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact.
- The company reported the incident the same day, says its fifth‑generation automated driving system was active, and cites simulations indicating an attentive human would have collided at roughly 14 mph.