Feds probe Waymo after robotaxi strikes child near Santa Monica Elementary School
- Marijan Hassan - Tech Journalist
- 6 minutes ago
- 2 min read
NHTSA launches "preliminary evaluation" of system performance in chaotic school zones; Waymo claims ai reacted faster than a human could.
Federal safety regulators have launched a formal investigation into Waymo after one of its autonomous robotaxis struck a child near an elementary school during the morning drop-off rush. The incident, which occurred on Friday, January 23, 2026, has reignited the national debate over whether driverless technology is ready to navigate the "unpredictable chaos" of school zones, where children, crossing guards, and double-parked cars create high-risk environments.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the probe on January 29, stating it will examine whether the Waymo "Driver" exercised appropriate caution given the proximity to Grant Elementary School.
The Incident: 56 milliseconds and a 6mph impact
According to data released by Waymo and confirmed by local police, the accident happened within two blocks of the school campus.
A child ran into the street from behind a tall, double-parked SUV, moving directly into the path of the Waymo vehicle. The autonomous system detected the child immediately as they emerged from behind the obstruction. The vehicle, which was traveling at 17 mph, initiated a "hard brake" event.
The car slowed to under 6 mph before making contact with the child.
The child sustained only minor injuries, stood up immediately, and walked to the sidewalk. Waymo’s system automatically moved the car to the side of the road and placed a 911 call.
The "human comparison" defense
In a bold move to defend its safety record, Waymo released a statement accompanied by a "peer-reviewed model" comparing its AI to a human driver in the same situation.
Waymo claims that a "fully attentive human driver" would have struck the child at approximately 14 mph, more than double the speed of the robotaxi. "This significant reduction in impact speed and severity is a demonstration of the material safety benefit of the Waymo Driver," the company stated in a blog post.
Escalating regulatory scrutiny
Despite Waymo’s claims of superior performance, the NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are taking the matter seriously. The investigation is focusing on three key areas:
School zone adherence: Did the vehicle recognize it was in a high-risk school zone and adjust its "caution level" accordingly before the child appeared?
Obstruction logic: How does the system calculate safe speeds when passing double-parked vehicles that create significant blind spots?
The Austin connection: This is the third major federal inquiry into Waymo’s behavior around children in six months, following 19 documented cases of robotaxis illegally passing stopped school buses in Austin, Texas.
A critical moment for expansion
The investigation arrives at an awkward time for Waymo’s parent company, Alphabet. Waymo just launched in Miami and is currently preparing for major rollouts in London, Washington D.C., and Tokyo later this year.
If regulators determine that the AI isn't yet cautious enough for school-zone environments, it could lead to "Geofencing" mandates, legally requiring robotaxis to avoid certain streets during drop-off and pick-up hours. This would significantly complicate the service's goal of becoming a reliable, all-purpose alternative to Uber and Lyft.
