Waymo robotaxi hits a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica

On January 23, 2026, a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, resulting in minor injuries to the child. According to Waymo, the vehicle was traveling at 17 miles per hour before braking hard to 6 miles per hour when the child suddenly entered the roadway from behind a tall SUV, directly into the vehicle’s path. The robotaxi detected the pedestrian as soon as they emerged, and after the collision, the child stood up and walked to the sidewalk. Waymo promptly called 911 and remained at the scene until law enforcement cleared the vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into the incident, with Waymo pledging full cooperation. This accident adds to Waymo’s ongoing regulatory challenges, as the company is also under investigation for robotaxis illegally passing school buses. NHTSA began probing this issue in October following incidents in Atlanta, and the National Transportation Safety Board recently launched a separate investigation