Waymo has 7.1 million driverless miles — how does its driving compare to humans?

For years, Waymo has been touting the safety potential of its driverless vehicles, and now it claims to have the data to back it up. The company analyzed 7.13 million fully driverless miles in three cities and found its vehicles to be 6.7 times less likely than human drivers to be involved in a crash resulting in injury, and 2.3 times less likely to be in a police-reported crash. The study also revealed that Waymo’s driverless cars were involved in only three crashes resulting in injuries over the 7 million-plus miles in all three cities, all of which were minor.

The safety analysis comes at a critical period for the autonomous vehicle industry, especially with Waymo’s main rival, Cruise, facing a significant crisis following a pedestrian-related crash. Waymo’s release of its safety analysis is seen as an attempt to differentiate itself from other autonomous vehicle companies and establish its commitment to scaling responsibly. The company is using public data and inviting third-party researchers to replicate its results, emphasizing transparency and accountability.

The self-driving car industry is facing skepticism and negative perceptions, fueled by high-profile incidents, recalls, and concerns about safety. Waymo has employed rigorous data analysis, including working with external partners like Swiss Re, to support its claims about the safety benefits of autonomous vehicles. However, there is still a need for a more comprehensive dataset to draw meaningful comparisons about safety between autonomous and human-driven vehicles.