Waymo, Zoox Vehicles Still Causing Injuries to Test Drivers: Report

A TechCrunch report cites Occupational Safety and Health Administration data indicating a recurring pattern of injuries to human test drivers in autonomous-vehicle programs by Waymo and Zoox. The report says there have been upwards of 20 injuries associated with Alphabet’s Waymo and Amazon-owned Zoox, with incidents including sprains, back pain and whiplash. TechCrunch attributes part of the rise to expanding real-world service areas, which increases test miles—Waymo in particular has pushed into new cities. The OSHA-linked cases are reported to be highest in Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco. The test vehicles aren’t always the purpose-built units; they can include modified models like Toyota Highlanders carrying sensor setups. The article notes ongoing incidents and federal probes could slow new service expansion, while regulators like OSHA may scrutinize testing further.