TL;DR by CuriousCats.ai
Waymo vehicles crash less than human drivers
- The IIHS study published this week found that Waymo vehicles are involved in fewer crashes than human drivers per vehicle mile traveled.
- Waymo vehicles traveled 50 million miles autonomously compared to 222 billion miles for human drivers.
- City-specific crash reductions: 76% lower in Phoenix, 35% lower in San Francisco, 71% lower in Los Angeles, but 4% higher in Austin (small sample).
- Waymo cars had 85% fewer single-vehicle crashes and 81% fewer injury crashes per VMT.
- Only 22% of 736 reported crashes were likely police-reportable; 89 involved Waymo but only 64 in autonomous mode.
- Lead author Eric Teoh said: 'Now we need to get the data collection system right so that we can ensure that level of safety continues as these technologies become more prevalent.'
Study context and data challenges
- The IIHS noted data collection challenges: meaningful comparison wasn't easy, companies are not required to report mileage, and Waymo was the only one studied because it publishes VMT.
CuriousCats Full Story
Key Insight
“Waymo vehicles traveled 50 million miles autonomously compared to 222 billion miles for human drivers during the study period. City-specific crash reductions ranged from 76% lower in Phoenix to a 4% increase in Austin, though the Austin sample was small.”
CuriousCats studied:
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The Drive
The Drive“In published this week, researchers found that Waymo vehicles are involved in fewer crashes than human drivers per vehicle mile traveled (VMT).”
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