Waymo Self-Driving Cars Cut Injury Crashes by Over 80 Percent
Waymo, a leader in self-driving technology, has released new safety data covering over 270 million miles driven through June 2026. The company claims that its vehicles had an impressive 82% fewer injury-causing crashes than human drivers during the same period.
The data, which spans five U.S. cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, shows a significant reduction in injury crashes. Waymo reported 95% fewer crashes involving serious injury or worse, with some cities showing even more promising results. For example, San Francisco saw a 10% decrease in injury crashes.
Waymo's safety framework is not without its challenges, as the company notes that aligning crash definitions between self-driving and human data can be difficult. However, the company has used prior safety research to help set consistent definitions across both data sets.