Waymo has released its latest research paper that shows the Waymo Driver is making significant strides in reducing severe crashes and improving the safety of those most at risk.
Waymo says it is making streets safer in the cities where it operates, by reducing the number of the most dangerous crashes and providing better protection for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
The paper, which will be published in the Traffic Injury Prevention journal, expands on Waymo’s Safety Impact Hub research, providing a deeper analysis of Waymo’s performance across 11 different crash types compared to human drivers. It also offers new insights into Waymo’s positive impact on serious injury crash rates.
The research found that, compared with human benchmarks over 56.7 million miles and regardless of who was at fault, the Waymo Driver had safer interactions with vulnerable road users (VRUs), with substantial reductions in crashes involving injuries among pedestrians (92% reduction), cyclists (82% reduction), and motorcyclists (82% reduction).
It also found a 96% reduction in injury-involving intersection crashes, which, according to NHTSA, are a leading cause of severe road harm for human drivers. Waymo says this is largely attributed to the Waymo Driver’s ability to detect and appropriately respond to vehicles running a red light.
The research also found an 85% reduction in crashes with suspected serious or worse injuries, building on its previous research that demonstrated significant reductions across all injuries combined. The results are statistically significant, Waymo says, but adds that because serious injury cases are rare, the results are based on a small number of events, and states that it will continue to monitor outcomes and gain greater confidence as the company accumulates more miles.
These findings have been added to the growing body of data that has shown that the Waymo Driver is reducing the most dangerous crash types, is contributing to safer roadways and is pushing forward a vision of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries on roads.
While this particular research did not account for crash contribution, a previous study led by the insurance company Swiss Re reported that the Waymo Driver has a positive impact when contribution is taken into account.
“It’s exciting to see the real positive impact that Waymo is making on the streets of America as we continue to expand,” said Mauricio Peña, Waymo’s chief safety officer. “This research reinforces the growing evidence that the Waymo Driver is playing a crucial role in reducing serious crashes and protecting all road users.”
“It’s encouraging to see real-world data showing Waymo outperforming human drivers when it comes to safety. Fewer crashes and fewer injuries, especially for people walking and biking, are exactly the kind of progress we want to see from autonomous vehicles,” said Jonathan Adkins, chief executive officer at Governors Highway Safety Association.
In related news, Toyota Motor Corporation and Waymo recently agreed to collaborate on accelerating the development and deployment of autonomous driving technologies. Click here to read the full story.