Waymos Robotaxis Outshine Humans In Safety Record As 25 Million Miles Of Autonomous Driving Reveals Promising Results

A new study conducted by Swiss Re, a leading insurance provider, analyzed the safety performance of Waymo’s robotaxis, examining 25.3 million fully autonomous miles driven by the Waymo Driver. The research highlights the benefits of autonomous vehicles in reducing accidents and injuries on the road.

The study found an impressive 88% reduction in property damage claims and a 92% reduction in bodily injury claims compared to human-driven vehicles. This is notable, as human drivers would be expected to have 78 property damage and 26 bodily injury claims for the same distance.

The analysis was conducted by comparing Waymo’s liability claims data to Swiss Re’s database of over 500,000 claims and 200 billion miles of exposure. The study revealed only nine property damage claims and two bodily injury claims across 25.3 million miles, a significant improvement over human drivers.

As Waymo has scaled its operations across various cities, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, the Waymo Driver has outperformed both human-driven vehicles and newer vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The results showed an 86% reduction in property damage claims and a 90% reduction in bodily injury claims compared to newer vehicles.

The study’s findings have significant implications for the adoption of autonomous vehicles on public roads. By analyzing large datasets, researchers can gain insights into how autonomous vehicles perform in real-world conditions, crucial for building public trust.

However, evaluating these results requires consideration of several factors. Waymo’s robotaxis are currently only available in urban areas, where rural environments pose significant challenges for drivers, accounting for 41% of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2022. Additionally, the cities where Waymo operates have ideal weather conditions for self-driving technology, while snowy weather may pose challenges for sensors and overall vehicle performance.

Less data is available on autonomous vehicles compared to human-driven vehicles, which can affect the accuracy of conclusions drawn from this analysis. Nevertheless, the study provides valuable evidence that Waymo has no responsibility in the vast majority of collisions its vehicles were involved in.

Waymo’s safety advantages have been validated by previous studies, with the company’s own data showing fewer serious collisions than human drivers over 25 million fully autonomous miles, independent of fault. This latest analysis complements Waymo’s existing safety impact data and provides a scalable framework for ongoing assessment of the impact autonomous vehicles make on road safety.

Transparency has become increasingly important for building public trust in autonomous vehicle providers like Waymo. While other companies are expanding their operations, Waymo continues to lead in this field. Its commitment to safety and transparency is crucial for widespread adoption and acceptance of autonomous vehicles on public roads.

With its expanding services across multiple cities, including Miami and Tokyo in 2025, Waymo is poised to continue leading the development of safe and reliable autonomous transportation systems.