Waymo robotaxis are involved in crashes 68% less frequently than human-driven vehicles, according to a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The analysis, which examined crash data from 2021 to 2024, compared the performance of Waymo's autonomous vehicles with human-driven cars across Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Austin.
The study found Waymo's driverless cars had a crash rate that was 76% lower than human drivers in Phoenix, 71% lower in Los Angeles, and 35% lower in San Francisco. In Austin, however, Waymo vehicles were involved in 4% more crashes than human drivers.
These findings emerge as federal regulators and lawmakers consider safety standards for autonomous vehicles. Representative Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.) is advocating for federal regulations to establish minimum national safety standards for self-driving cars, aiming to prevent them from obstructing emergency operations. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has stated that such legislation would provide a clearer framework for coordination during emergencies and disruptions involving autonomous vehicles.
Waymo, an Alphabet subsidiary, operates a ride-hailing service with 577 registered driverless vehicles, completing approximately 500,000 paid rides weekly in 10 cities. The company's technology has been a focus amid public debate, particularly following incidents like a swarm of Waymos becoming inoperable on San Francisco streets in July, impacting thousands of people.
The IIHS study focused on police-reportable crashes, with Waymo vehicles traveling about 50 million miles in driverless operation during the study period. The analysis accounted for the difference in miles driven by comparing crash rates on a per-vehicle-mile-traveled (VMT) basis. In single-vehicle crashes, Waymo vehicles were involved in 85% fewer crashes and 81% fewer injury crashes per VMT compared to human drivers.
Researchers acknowledged challenges in comparing robotaxi and human driver data. The study was limited to crashes typically reported to the police, and it accounted for the fact that autonomous vehicle companies are generally required to report all incidents, including minor ones, whereas many minor collisions involving human drivers go unreported.
IIHS President David Harkey noted that while the results suggest driverless cars can be safer than humans, who may be impaired or distracted, the current data collection systems are not yet sufficient for continuous monitoring of large-scale expansion.