Four people were injured early Wednesday when a Waymo autonomous vehicle being tested in London was involved in a collision on the A13. The incident occurred at around 2am in east London when another vehicle traveling at 93mph struck the Waymo car.
The London Ambulance Service confirmed that four people received medical treatment at the scene. The Waymo vehicle was part of a trial for potential driverless taxi operations in the capital, but a test driver was behind the wheel at the time of the crash.
Details of the Collision
According to a Waymo spokesperson, the test driver was changing lanes when the approaching vehicle, traveling at 93mph in a 50mph zone, swerved into an adjacent lane, collided with another car, and then made contact with the Waymo vehicle. The spokesperson stated: “The Waymo vehicle involved in this collision was being driven by a test driver in manual mode at the time. While the test driver was changing lanes, the Waymo vehicle was approached from behind by another vehicle traveling at 93mph in a 50mph zone. That vehicle swerved into an adjacent lane, collided with another vehicle and then made contact with the Waymo vehicle. We’re grateful for the quick response from emergency officials and wish those who were injured a full and fast recovery.”
Waymo's London Expansion Plans
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, aims to introduce fully driverless taxis in London. However, during these trial phases, test drivers remain in the vehicle to monitor performance and take over in emergencies. The company has not yet commented on how this incident might affect its rollout timeline.
Metro has contacted Waymo for further comment. The incident is under investigation by local authorities.
