Waymo Probed After Robotaxi Hit Child Near Elementary School (1)

Jan. 29, 2026, 9:12 PM UTC

US auto safety regulators are investigating a Waymo autonomous vehicle that struck a child near a school in Santa Monica, California, the second recent probe to examine the behavior of the Alphabet Inc. unit’s robotaxis near children.

The vehicle collided at a low speed with the child as they ran across a street from behind a double-parked SUV, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday in a notice disclosing the probe. The Jan. 23 incident took place within two blocks of an elementary school during drop off hours, with children, a crossing guard and other double parked vehicles nearby, ...

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