NHTSA Investigates Waymo Self-Driving Vehicles for Traffic Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated an investigation into Alphabet's Waymo self-driving vehicles following concerns about potential violations of traffic laws and collisions. The agency is particularly worried about instances where Waymo vehicles have collided with visible objects that a human driver would typically avoid, raising fears of accidents, property damage, and injuries.

This scrutiny by NHTSA is part of a broader examination into the performance of self-driving vehicles, with General Motors Cruise and Amazon.com's Zoox also under investigation. Waymo, while highlighting its safety record from millions of autonomous miles driven, has yet to provide a detailed response to the current investigation.

The NHTSA's investigation is a precautionary measure to assess any safety risks posed by Waymo's driverless vehicles. In the past, Waymo had to recall 444 self-driving vehicles due to a software error that affected the accuracy of predicting a towed vehicle's movement.

As the NHTSA delves into the driving behaviors of Waymo's self-driving vehicles, concerns about safety and adherence to traffic laws have come to the forefront. While Waymo touts its safety record, the investigation underscores the importance of ensuring the reliability and performance of autonomous vehicles to prevent potential accidents and protect road users.