Overview
- A report from the Sam Schwartz Transportation Research Program at Hunter College and Open Plans released Monday compares Waymo’s national operational data to New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission records and finds Waymo is about 1.5 times more likely per one million miles to be involved in crashes that cause death or serious injury.
- The same analysis shows Waymo has roughly 67% fewer injury‑causing crashes per million miles overall, a contrast the authors say highlights how different crash types matter for safety comparisons.
- Waymo has disputed the study’s methods and definitions and cautioned that its small national fleet and operations in different cities make direct comparisons to dense New York City driving unreliable.
- Researchers say robotaxis in places like San Francisco already drive more empty miles — a pattern called deadheading — and that limited parking in Manhattan could increase those empty miles and add congestion.
- The report urges New York City to require city‑specific safety benchmarks that compare robotaxis to professional for‑hire drivers, to consider usage or VMT fees, and to limit robotaxi access to the densest areas while regulators weigh broader deployment.