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The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has reported 22 incidents involving Waymo vehicles equipped with the 5th generation automated driving system (ADS). These incidents include collisions with stationary objects, parked vehicles, and potential violations of traffic safety laws. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is now investigating these occurrences to determine the performance and safety of Waymo’s ADS.
Key Highlights
- 22 incidents reported involving Waymo’s 5th generation ADS
- Collisions with stationary and semi-stationary objects such as gates, chains, and parked vehicles
- Instances of ADS disobeying traffic safety control devices
- Preliminary Evaluation opened by NHTSA to investigate further
- Performance of ADS in detecting and responding to traffic control devices under scrutiny
- Evaluation of ADS’s ability to avoid collisions with stationary and semi-stationary objects
Investigation Details
The ODI has initiated a Preliminary Evaluation to delve deeper into the incidents involving Waymo’s automated driving system. Reports indicate that the ADS-equipped vehicles either remained engaged throughout the incidents or disengaged moments before the collisions when supervised by an in-vehicle test driver. Notably, some incidents involved the ADS-equipped vehicles driving in opposing lanes with nearby oncoming traffic or entering construction zones.
See also: Ford BlueCruise Safety Investigation
Waymo has complied with NHTSA’s Standing General Order 2021-01 (SGO) by submitting incident reports involving collisions. Additional reports were identified based on publicly available information. The investigation aims to assess the ADS’s performance in detecting and responding to traffic control devices and its effectiveness in avoiding collisions with stationary and semi-stationary objects and vehicles.
The outcome of this investigation will be crucial in understanding the reliability and safety of Waymo’s 5th-generation ADS. The NHTSA’s findings will provide valuable insights into potential commonalities in these incidents and the overall performance of automated driving systems in similar scenarios.
For more detailed information on the SGO reports mentioned, visit NHTSA’s SGO website at: NHTSA SGO Website.
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