Incidents gathered from public reporting around the world. Each one links to the articles it came from. None of it is a finding that anyone broke the law.
Reports people file about their own experience are not shown here and never will be without their agreement. Tell us what happened to you.
35 incidents involving Waymo · search all text for “Waymo” instead · public reporting
A robotaxi slowly bumped into a utility pole in a Phoenix alley
1 source article · read the reporting →
The Waymo vehicle drove into a farmers market, moving among vendors and pedestrians setting up.
1 source article · read the reporting →
¿Tu robotaxi te vigila? Un Waymo delata a dos pasajeros por portar un arma en EE. UU. - Imagen Radio
A Waymo robotaxi detected a loaded firearm inside the vehicle and alerted emergency services, leading to the arrest of two young passengers. The incident has sparked debate over privacy and the use of internal cameras and AI monitoring in autonomous vehicles.
1 source article · read the reporting →
A Waymo autonomous vehicle stopped in a travel lane, and two following drivers were involved in a chain-reaction crash, suffering minor injuries and vehicle damage.
1 source article · read the reporting →
On 4 July 2026, an unoccupied Waymo robotaxi caught fire in San Francisco after driving over a lit firework. No injuries were reported. The incident occurred amid widespread traffic congestion, with multiple Waymo vehicles becoming disabled and blocking roads. Waymo coordinated with the fire department to remove the vehicle and said it was evaluating ways to improve resilience during major disruptions.
1 source article · read the reporting →
In May 2026, Sherman Watson was riding in a Waymo robotaxi in San Francisco when two men attacked the vehicle, smashing the windshield. The car stopped and remained stationary, trapping Watson inside for about 10 minutes while he feared for his life. Waymo's remote assistant called police but could not move the car. Watson later sought therapy and requested video footage from Waymo, which the company has not provided, citing the need for a police search warrant.
1 source article · read the reporting →
On April 20, 2026, an unoccupied Waymo robotaxi entered a flooded road in San Antonio, Texas, during severe weather. No injuries occurred, but the incident prompted Waymo to issue a voluntary recall of up to 3,791 vehicles due to software that could allow the cars to drive onto flooded roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published recall documents, and Waymo stated it is implementing additional software safeguards and has restricted operations in extreme weather. The fix is still under development.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Waymo has voluntarily recalled 3,871 robotaxis after some entered freeway construction zones in Phoenix and the Bay Area. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the software may allow a vehicle to enter a closed construction zone, increasing crash risk. Waymo is developing a software fix to detect and avoid construction zones. No crashes or injuries were reported.
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Austin City Council member Zo Qadri and colleagues sent a letter to Waymo after a March 1 autonomous vehicle allegedly stopped on a street near a mass shooting, requiring an officer to move it. The city wants to discuss emergency-response procedures at a joint committee meeting on April 29. Waymo had not responded to the letter as of the interview, and the council member expressed frustration that the city lacks authority to regulate autonomous vehicles on its streets.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
A Waymo autonomous vehicle struck a child crossing the street near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, on 23 January 2026, during school drop-off hours. The child sustained minor injuries. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have opened investigations into the incident. Waymo stated that the child emerged suddenly from behind a double-parked SUV and that the vehicle braked, reducing speed from 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact, and that a computer model suggested a human driver would have also hit the child.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
The autonomous vehicle struck a 9-year-old girl near a school.
1 source article · read the reporting →
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened Preliminary Evaluation PE26001 on 28 January 2026, five days after a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California. The agency's summary states the vehicle was operating autonomously with no safety operator present, during morning drop-off hours. The child emerged from behind a parked SUV and sustained minor injuries. The investigation targets Waymo's fifth-generation Automated Driving System and will examine whether the vehicle exercised appropriate caution given its proximity to a school at drop-off time.
1 source article · read the reporting →
The robotaxi decided to brake and collided with a child pedestrian
1 source article · read the reporting →
A Waymo self-driving car mistakenly drove onto light rail tracks in Phoenix, forcing a passenger to flee the vehicle. The incident occurred near moving trains before the car continued along the tracks. Valley Metro confirmed it was notified and responded, and Waymo was contacted.
1 source article · read the reporting →
On 20 December 2025, Waymo's driverless robotaxis stalled at intersections in San Francisco during a power outage, treating dark traffic signals as four-way stops and requesting confirmation checks. The backlog of checks caused response delays and traffic congestion. Waymo suspended its service at the request of city officials to clear streets for emergency vehicles and later explained that it is refining its system to handle such outages more decisively. The California Public Utilities Commission is investigating the incident.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
A man jumped into the open trunk of a Waymo robotaxi in Los Angeles and became trapped. The next passenger discovered him upon the vehicle's arrival, and police removed the man. Waymo acknowledged the incident was unacceptable and said it is implementing changes to prevent similar occurrences. The event was captured on video and shared widely on social media.
1 source article · read the reporting →
A Waymo autonomous vehicle allegedly struck and killed KitKat, a 9-year-old cat that was a beloved mascot of Randa's Market in San Francisco's Mission District, on the night of October 27, 2025. Witnesses reported that the vehicle swerved and did not stop after hitting the cat, which later died at a veterinary hospital. The incident has sparked mourning among neighbors and calls for accountability, with a 311 complaint filed alleging the car 'did not even try to stop.' Waymo did not respond to requests for comment.
7 source articles · read the reporting →
An autonomous Waymo vehicle in Atlanta, Georgia, passed a stopped school bus with its stop arm and flashing red lights deployed, driving near students who were getting off the bus. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating how Waymo's automated driving system performs around stopped school buses. No injuries were reported. Waymo said the bus had partially blocked the vehicle's exit, obscuring the bus's signals, and that it has since updated its software.
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Jenifer Hanki, 26, was cycling in a marked bike lane in San Francisco when a Waymo robotaxi pulled over and a passenger opened a door into her path, causing a collision. She alleges the vehicle's Safe Exit system failed to warn of her approach, and she suffered brain and spine injuries. Hanki has sued Waymo and Alphabet for negligence, battery, and emotional distress, and the case is pending in San Francisco County Superior Court. Waymo did not comment on the lawsuit but pointed to its overall safety record.
1 source article · read the reporting →
A woman using a Waymo driverless taxi in San Francisco was trapped when two men blocked the vehicle and demanded her phone number. The autonomous car stalled, and the men persisted despite her protests. Waymo's rider support contacted her during the incident and followed up afterwards. The passenger described the experience as terrifying and warned others to be careful when riding alone.
8 source articles · read the reporting →
On May 21, 2024, a Waymo autonomous vehicle crashed into a telephone pole in Phoenix, Arizona, while driving to a passenger pickup location. The vehicle was damaged but no one was injured. Waymo issued a voluntary recall and updated the software and mapping for its entire fleet of 672 vehicles to correct an error that assigned a low damage score to the pole and to improve the map.
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Waymo's automated driving system exhibited unexpected behavior during driving.
1 source article · read the reporting →
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.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
A couple riding in a Waymo driverless car in San Francisco felt trapped when a pedestrian attempted to cover the vehicle's sensors. The passengers contacted Waymo support and were advised to remain inside the vehicle. The pedestrian eventually walked away, and the passengers were unharmed. Waymo stated that remaining inside is often the safest course of action during such an event.
1 source article · read the reporting →
