US opens probe after a Waymo self-driving car hit a child near a school

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by By ReutersJanuary 30, 2026 at 12:11 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

The NHTSA is investigating an incident where a Waymo self-driving vehicle struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, on January 23, 2026. The child ran into the street from behind a parked SUV during school drop-off hours and sustained minor injuries. The investigation will assess whether the Waymo vehicle exercised appropriate caution considering the presence of children and other vulnerable road users near the school. The NTSB is also investigating the incident. Waymo stated that the vehicle detected the child and braked, reducing speed before contact, and will cooperate with the investigation. The incident occurs amidst increasing robotaxi deployments and a scheduled Senate hearing on self-driving car safety.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

National Transportation Safety Board 40% Mauricio Pena 40% US Senate Commerce Committee 50% Alphabet 60% Santa Monica, California 70% United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ×280% Waymo ×790%

Keywords

self-driving car 100% waymo 90% child pedestrian 80% nhtsa investigation 70% autonomous vehicle safety 60% robotaxis 60% school zone 50% traffic safety 40%