Waymo drone involved in an accident with a cyclist in San Francisco

At one of the intersections in San Francisco, Waymo's unmanned car hit a cyclist, causing him minor injuries. The incident resonated against the backdrop of a recent similar accident with a Cruise car, in which a pedestrian was seriously injured.

Here's What We Know

The incident occurred at 3:02 p.m. local time on 6 February at the intersection of 17th Street and Mississippi Street in the Potrero Hill area of San Francisco. The Waymo drone stopped at the intersection, letting a large truck pass. Then, as the truck turned, the vehicle moved and failed to notice the cyclist who had pulled out from behind the truck.

The drone braked sharply, but the collision could not be avoided. The victim was treated and his injuries were assessed as non-life threatening.

A Waymo spokesperson noted that the cyclist fled the scene of the accident, reporting only light scratches. The passenger in the vehicle was not injured.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Go Deeper:

• Waymo and Cruise have been approved for 24-hour paid robotaxi rides in San Francisco
• Waymo is expanding its robotaxi service area in San Francisco despite protests from city residents
• In San Francisco, a car hit a pedestrian and threw him under the wheels of a Cruise robot car
• Waymo releases study proving greater safety of its unmanned cars

Source: The Verge