Alphabet's Autonomous Vehicle Unit Waymo Faces Scrutiny Over Traffic Violations

U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating Alphabet Inc’s GOOG GOOGL Waymo self-driving vehicles following reports of potential traffic safety law violations.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has commenced the inquiry into around 444 Waymo vehicles, prompted by 22 incidents, including 17 collisions.

These incidents involved the vehicles disobeying traffic safety control devices and exhibiting unexpected behavior near these devices, leading to crashes, Reuters reported.

The agency’s probe is part of a broader examination into self-driving vehicle performance, including General Motors Co’s GM Cruise and Amazon.com Inc’s AMZN Zoox.

Waymo, in response, emphasized its safety record and commitment to transparency, expressing readiness to collaborate with NHTSA.

In February, Waymo recalled 444 self-driving vehicles due to software errors leading to inaccurate predictions of towed vehicle movements, following two minor collisions in Arizona.

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NHTSA emphasized that all 22 incidents either involved self-driving crashes or driving behavior potentially violating traffic laws, such as collisions with stationary objects and entering opposing lanes.

NHTSA’s investigation will focus on assessing Waymo’s 5th Generation automated driving system performance in detecting and responding to traffic control devices and avoiding collisions.

This scrutiny marks the initial phase before potential recalls if deemed necessary for safety. Waymo has expanded its autonomous services, offering driverless robotaxi services in Los Angeles and commencing services for employees in Austin, Texas.

Despite these challenges, Waymo stated it currently provides over 50,000 weekly trips for riders in demanding environments, showcasing ongoing efforts to enhance autonomous transportation.

Alphabet stock has gained more than 45% in the last 12 months. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund XLC and IShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF IGM.

Price Action: GOOGL shares are up 0.26% at $169.58 at last check Tuesday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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