Driverless Waymo Involved In San Francisco Bicycle Accident

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA (February 9, 2024) – A bicyclist was injured in a San Francisco car accident after being hit by a driverless Waymo by the intersection of 17th Street and Mississippi Street.

San Francisco police officials are saying that the incident took place around 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday. A large truck was going through an intersection which occluded the presence of a cyclist traveling nearby.

That is when a driverless Waymo entered the intersection and struck the cyclist. Police reported that the cyclist left the scene on their own recognizance.

The extent of the cyclists injuries remains unknown. This is the second time that a self-driving vehicle hit someone in the last several months.

This past October, a GM autonomous cruise vehicle was involved in a collision. A full investigation into the Waymo collision remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For Accidents Involving Self-Driving Cars

The technology behind self-driving cars has continued to improve rapidly. Companies like Waymo, Tesla and General Motors are all pushing the bounds of what is possible. But they are continuing to improve on public roads in ways that many activists have called unsafe. According to one report from Carnegie Mellon University, “Autonomous vehicle (AV) developers test extensively on public roads, potentially putting other road users at risk.” Autonomous vehicles are designed to drive in a human-like manner, but they continue to have many predictable shortcomings.

• Autonomous vehicles have had a hard time staying in lanes of traffic designated by box dots.
• Autonomous vehicles can have their vision systems disrupted by inclement weather including heavy snow and fog.
• Autonomous vehicles have not always been able to stop in time for emergency vehicles in the roadway.
• Autonomous vehicles are not able to always communicate their intentions with pedestrians and cyclists.
• Autonomous vehicles run off of computer software which can be vulnerable to hacking.

Companies like Waymo, Tesla, and General Motors have a legal obligation to create vehicles and software that is reasonably safe. Car companies can be liable for the design, manufacturing, or marketing defects of their products. For example, a software bug is believed to have been involved in the fatal autonomous vehicle accident that killed a pedestrian in Phoenix. An Uber autonomous vehicle identified Elaine Herzberg as a “false positive” before running directly into her. She later died due to her injuries. There are several steps that should be taken after any collision involving an autonomous vehicle.

• Eyewitnesses should be interviewed.
• Surveillance footage should be sought.
• Medical records should be preserved.
• Diagnostic tests on the vehicle and its software should be performed.
• An experienced personal injury attorney should be contacted.

Accidents involving autonomous vehicles can be incredibly complex. There may be several negligent parties. These cars typically have safety drivers but this is not always the case. Factors that could contribute to an accident with a self-driving vehicle may take place hours, days, or even weeks beforehand. Accident victims are often filled with adrenaline following any crash. They will likely not realize the full extent of their injuries. This is why it is so important to seek medical aid and the guidance of an experienced attorney.

Investigating Driverless Waymo Car Accidents

We at Samer Habbas & Associates extend our best wishes to the cyclist injured in this collision. This was a preventable crash that should not have taken place. There needs to be safety measures and regulations to ensure that companies are not rolling out these vehicles for testing on public roads before it is safe to do so.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Waymo car accident? You may have legal recourse. Our team of personal injury attorneys have decades of experience and are here to help you. We are committed to helping accident victims get the medical and financial support that they are entitled to. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we are here for you. You can contact us at (949)-727-9300.