Waymo and Zoox Self-Driving Test Cars Cause Over 24 Injuries in Sudden Braking Incidents

According to data from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Waymo—owned by Alphabet—and Zoox, a subsidiary of Amazon, reported more than 24 incidents involving safety driver injuries combined in 2024 and 2025. Injuries included sprains, back pain, and whiplash, primarily caused by abrupt braking or rapid steering maneuvers during normal vehicle operation. TechCrunch’s analysis shows that 16 of these incidents occurred among Waymo’s driving contractors, with up to eight at Zoox. The accidents were concentrated in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco—the three primary operational markets for autonomous vehicle companies today. The vehicles involved were not Zoox’s purpose-built Robotaxis nor Waymo’s Jaguar I-Pace or newer Ojai models, but rather retrofitted conventional vehicles such as the Toyota Highlander equipped with sensor suites, used during the autonomous software testing phase. Waymo currently operates a fleet of approximately 2,500 to 3,000 autonomous vehicles in the U.S., providing around 500,000 rides per week across 11 cities and an area exceeding 1,400 square miles. In May 2024, Zoox was investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after two of its test vehicles suddenly braked, causing rear-end collisions with motorcycles and resulting in injuries. In March 2025, Zoox voluntarily recalled 258 autonomous vehicles to address erratic braking behavior; it issued another recall in December of the same year for 332 vehicles due to software that could cause the vehicles to cross yellow lines and enter oncoming traffic lanes. NHTSA later confirmed that Zoox resolved the braking issue through a software update and subsequently closed its investigation.