What is Waymo defending its safety record against in February 2026?

Waymo is defending its safety record before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee amid federal investigations into incidents involving its robotaxis, including one where a vehicle struck a child and others where vehicles passed stopped school buses.

Why are companies like Waymo and Tesla urging Congress to pass AV legislation?

Waymo and Tesla are urging Congress to pass legislation to advance autonomous vehicle technology and foster innovation, warning that the U.S. faces intense global competition, particularly from China, in the AV sector.

What has been the outcome of NHTSA investigations into Tesla's FSD system?

NHTSA has previously opened investigations into Tesla vehicles with its FSD system due to numerous reports of traffic-safety violations and crashes. Tesla reports that its FSD (Supervised) system has a lower collision rate than U.S. averages.

Home / Technology / Waymo Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Robotaxi Safety

Waymo Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Robotaxi Safety

4 Feb

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Summary

Waymo defends safety record amid federal investigations.
Companies urge Congress to pass legislation for AV advancement.
US faces global competition, particularly from China, in AV sector.

Waymo Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Robotaxi Safety

Waymo, an Alphabet-unit, is set to defend its safety record before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on February 3, 2026. This comes after federal agencies initiated investigations into incidents involving Waymo's robotaxis, including one where a vehicle struck a child near an elementary school and others where vehicles passed by stopped school buses.

In prepared testimony, Waymo's Chief Safety Officer stated that its self-driving vehicles have a considerably better safety record than human drivers over equivalent mileage. The company is also undergoing an independent safety audit. Waymo advocates for federal legislation to foster the growth of autonomous vehicles, emphasizing the critical global race for leadership in this burgeoning trillion-dollar sector.

Similarly, Tesla's vehicle engineering vice president stressed the need for modernized regulations to encourage innovation in the autonomous vehicle industry. Both companies warn that a failure to lead in AV development could allow other nations, notably China, to shape the future of this technology and its global market.