Where automated decisions went wrong

Cruise robotaxi hits San Francisco fire truck, one injured

A Cruise self-driving car collided with a San Francisco Fire Department truck that was responding to an emergency. The incident occurred on August 17, 2023, in the Tenderloin district. One passenger sustained non-severe injuries and was taken to hospital. Cruise acknowledged the crash and offered support to the rider.

Company involved

Cruise

AI system involved

Cruise self-driving car

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Motorcyclist sues General Motors after self-driving Chevrolet Bolt crash in San Francisco

On 7 December 2017, a self-driving Chevrolet Bolt operated by GM's Cruise subsidiary aborted a lane change and re-entered its lane on Oak Street in San Francisco, striking motorcyclist Oscar Nilsson and knocking him to the ground. Nilsson sued General Motors, claiming neck and shoulder injuries requiring lengthy treatment and resulting in disability leave. The San Francisco Police Department's report blamed Nilsson for passing on the right, but his lawyer disputed this, and GM denied responsibility while emphasising safety.

Company involved

General Motors

AI system involved

Chevrolet Bolt autonomous vehicle

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Toyota pauses self-driving bus service after hitting visually impaired athlete at Paralympics

Toyota suspended its e-Palette autonomous shuttle service at the Tokyo Paralympics after one of the vehicles struck Aramitsu Kitazono, a visually impaired judoka, while he was crossing a pedestrian crossing in the athletes' village. Kitazono suffered cuts and bruises and was unable to compete. Toyota's president apologized and admitted overconfidence in the technology, and the company is investigating the incident.

Company involved

Toyota

AI system involved

e-Palette

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Waymo vehicles repeatedly turn around on San Francisco dead-end street

Residents of a dead-end street in San Francisco's Richmond District say Waymo self-driving cars have been driving down their street and making U-turns every five minutes for six to eight weeks. The constant hum of the vehicles has become a nuisance for neighbours working from home. Waymo said the cars were obeying road rules, taking a U-turn due to Slow Streets signage on Lake, and that it continually adjusts to dynamic San Francisco road rules.

Company involved

Waymo

AI system involved

Waymo Driver

9 source articles · read the reporting →

California DMV suspends Cruise LLC driverless and deployment permits

The California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Cruise LLC's autonomous vehicle deployment and driverless testing permits, saying the vehicles were not safe for public operation and that Cruise had misrepresented safety information. The suspension took effect immediately under California regulations. Cruise may apply to reinstate the permits once it satisfies the department's requirements. Its permit for testing with a safety driver was not affected.

Company involved

Cruise LLC

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Exclusive: Zoox grounds Atlanta test fleet after workers report toxic gas exposure symptoms - TechCrunch

Exclusive: Zoox grounds Atlanta test fleet after workers report toxic gas exposure symptoms TechCrunch

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Cruise alleged to rely on human operators for autonomous driving

A New York Times article alleged that Cruise's autonomous vehicles rely on human operators to achieve autonomous driving, with 1.5 workers per vehicle intervening every 2.5 to five miles. Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt responded on Hacker News, stating that remote assistance is used 2-4% of the time and that many sessions are resolved by the vehicle itself. The company declined an interview request from the NYT.

Company involved

Cruise

AI system involved

Cruise AV

9 source articles · read the reporting →

Cruise robotaxi appears to hinder emergency crews after San Francisco mass shooting

A Cruise autonomous vehicle appeared to block emergency crews responding to a mass shooting in San Francisco's Mission District on 9 June 2023. A police officer in video footage says the robotaxi was blocking emergency medical and fire vehicles. Cruise denied obstructing access and said an employee moved the vehicle within half an hour. San Francisco police said they were investigating.

Company involved

Cruise

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Tesla's Full Self-Driving involved in fatal Bay Bridge crash

On Thanksgiving 2022, a Tesla vehicle using its Full Self-Driving feature was involved in a fatal accident on the San Francisco Bay Bridge. Footage published by The Intercept showed the system braking abruptly. The incident highlights safety concerns with autonomous driving technology.

Company involved

Tesla

AI system involved

Full Self-Driving

7 source articles · read the reporting →

Waymo driverless car hits bicyclist in San Francisco intersection

On 6 February 2024, a Waymo driverless car collided with a bicyclist at a four-way intersection in San Francisco. The cyclist was obscured by a truck and the vehicle braked but could not stop in time. The cyclist sustained minor scratches and left the scene. Waymo stated it is contacting relevant authorities.

Company involved

Waymo

4 source articles · read the reporting →

Driver relying on "smart driving" on highway crashes after system suddenly disengages near truck

司机依赖“智驾 ”跑高速，逼近大货车时“智驾”突然退出引发车祸 - 手机新浪网

A driver was using a smart driving system on an expressway. As the vehicle approached a large truck, the system unexpectedly disengaged, leading to a crash.

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Cruise Robotaxis Blamed for Delaying Ambulance in San Francisco Man's Death

In August 2023, a homeless man named Sammy Davis was fatally struck by a city bus in San Francisco. Emergency responders alleged that two Cruise robotaxis blocked their ambulance, delaying transport. City officials later clarified that Cruise was not at fault for the death, and the man had been hit by a bus. Cruise denied any responsibility, stating the delay was only 90 seconds.

Company involved

Cruise

AI system involved

Cruise robotaxi

2 source articles · read the reporting →

Hello robotaxi crash injures pedestrians in Zhuzhou, China

A Hello Inc. robotaxi struck and injured two pedestrians in Zhuzhou, China, on or around December 5, 2025. Footage showed bystanders and police lifting the vehicle to free a person trapped underneath. Hello has suspended autonomous-driving operations in Zhuzhou. Local police have not yet determined fault, and Hello has not commented. The crash follows a prior incident where a Hello robotaxi allegedly failed to stop after a collision.

Company involved

Hello Inc.

AI system involved

Hello Autonomous Driving

3 source articles · read the reporting →

Zoox recalls 332 robotaxis after self-driving cars veer into oncoming traffic

Zoox, Amazon's self-driving car company, recalled 332 robotaxis after they were found veering into oncoming traffic near intersections. The issue was first noticed in August 2025 when a car took a wide right turn crossing the center line. Zoox said no crashes or injuries occurred and fixed the problem with a software update. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed the recall and is in ongoing discussions with Zoox.

Company involved

Zoox

AI system involved

Zoox robotaxis

6 source articles · read the reporting →

NHTSA investigation PE24016: Unexpected ADS behavior

Waymo's automated driving system exhibited unexpected behavior during driving.

Company involved

Waymo

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Tesla Cybertruck owner sues over FSD crash in Houston overpass

Justine Saint Amour is suing Tesla after her Cybertruck, with Full Self-Driving engaged, crashed into a concrete barrier on a Houston overpass on August 18, 2025. The lawsuit alleges that Tesla was negligent in hiring and retaining Elon Musk as CEO, and that the FSD system was defective due to lack of LiDAR and ineffective automatic emergency braking. Saint Amour seeks over $1 million in damages.

Company involved

Tesla

AI system involved

Full Self-Driving (FSD)

3 source articles · read the reporting →

Cruise Self-Driving Car Rear-Ended by Human-Driven Cruise Vehicle in San Francisco

On 11 June 2018, a self-driving Cruise Chevrolet Bolt was rear-ended by another Cruise vehicle driven by a human employee on Bryant Street in San Francisco. The collision caused only minor scuffs and no injuries. Cruise reported the incident to the California DMV as required. The incident highlights the challenges of autonomous vehicles interacting with human drivers.

Company involved

Cruise

2 source articles · read the reporting →

Starship delivery robot drives into planter and down stairs at UCLA

A Starship Technologies delivery robot operating autonomously at UCLA fell into a planter after its wheels slipped off a path edge. Bystanders pulled it free, but the robot turned back towards the planter before being pushed clear. A remote human operator then took control, but the robot subsequently drove down a flight of stairs and later struck a scooter due to a sensor blind spot.

Company involved

Starship Technologies

2 source articles · read the reporting →

Google and Delphi Self-Driving Cars Involved in Minor Accidents in California

Four self-driving cars in California have been involved in accidents since September 2014, when the state began issuing testing permits. Two occurred while the cars were in autonomous mode, and two while a human was driving. Google and Delphi, the companies operating the vehicles, stated that their cars were not at fault and that the collisions were minor, with no injuries. The accidents have raised concerns about transparency, as details are kept confidential under state law.

Company involved

Google Inc. and Delphi Automotive

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Beep automated bus rear-ended by Tesla in Washington D.C.

An automated bus operated by Beep was rear-ended by a Tesla driver making an illegal lane change in Washington D.C. on 18 January 2026. The bus, part of a pilot programme with the U.S. Department of Transportation, had a human backup driver and sustained minor cosmetic damage. Service was temporarily paused but resumed after a review found the bus operated appropriately. No police were called and the incident was not reported to NHTSA as the damage was under $1,000 and the other driver was at fault.

Company involved

Beep

AI system involved

Beep automated bus

2 source articles · read the reporting →

San Francisco officials complain of robotaxi interference with emergency responders

San Francisco's fire chief and police union have complained that Waymo and Cruise robotaxis are interfering with emergency responders, including driving into active scenes and blocking fire trucks. The fire chief says it is only a matter of time before a catastrophic injury or death occurs. The police union asked the California Public Utilities Commission to postpone a vote on expanding robotaxi services. The companies say they are working with officials and that most encounters are without issue.

Company involved

Waymo and Cruise

4 source articles · read the reporting →

Waymo Self-Driving Taxis Crash into Backwards-Towed Pickup in Phoenix

On 11 December 2023, two Waymo autonomous vehicles collided with a pickup truck being towed backwards in Phoenix, Arizona. The vehicles were operating without passengers and sustained minor damage, with no injuries reported. Waymo attributed the crashes to a software error that mispredicted the towed vehicle's motion and subsequently deployed a fix. The company filed a voluntary recall report with the NHTSA.

Company involved

Waymo

AI system involved

Waymo Driver

3 source articles · read the reporting →

Lawsuit says Tesla Autopilot missed a curve before a fatal Model X crash

The Autopilot system missed a curve, causing a fatal crash for the driver.

Company involved

Tesla

AI system involved

Autopilot

1 source article · read the reporting →

Tesla Full Self-Driving involved in fatal pedestrian crash in Arizona

In November 2023, a Tesla Model Y with Full Self-Driving engaged struck and killed 71-year-old Johna Story on Interstate 17 in Arizona. The system failed to brake due to sun glare, according to footage obtained by Bloomberg. The victim's family has sued Tesla and the driver. NHTSA is investigating whether the system poses an unacceptable safety risk.

Company involved

Tesla

AI system involved

Full Self-Driving

7 source articles · read the reporting →