Alphabet’s Waymo Faces NHTSA Probe of 3,000 AVs After Tesla Near-Miss
Alphabet Inc’s Waymo self-driving unit avoided a collision when a Tesla Robotaxi in Austin swerved to prevent an impact, while Waymo vehicles face NHTSA scrutiny after two incidents involving parked cars and a child. GOOGL shares dipped 0.03% premarket on reports that over 3,000 Waymo AVs may be under federal investigation and debate over remote human guidance and calls for unified regulation.
1. Collision Avoidance Incident
In Austin, a Tesla driverless Robotaxi detected an oncoming Waymo vehicle turning at a steeper angle than expected and executed a Collision Avoidance Assist to avert impact, as captured in social media video. This near-miss highlights ongoing challenges in autonomous vehicle interactions on public roads.
2. Federal Investigation of Waymo AVs
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a probe into more than 3,000 Waymo autonomous vehicles following two separate incidents: one involving a Waymo AV crashing into parked cars in Los Angeles and another colliding with a child near a Sacramento elementary school. These investigations raise questions about system reliability and safety oversight for Alphabet’s self-driving division.
3. Debate Over Autonomous Vehicle Regulation
Testimony revealed Waymo employs remote human operators in the Philippines to intervene during complex driving scenarios, drawing criticism from lawmakers. Meanwhile, Tesla’s vice president of vehicle engineering urged Congress to establish a comprehensive federal framework for autonomous vehicles to ensure consistent safety standards across manufacturers.