At a Glance
- Waymo van lost control on a residential street, striking parked cars.
- The vehicle was traveling near 40 miles per hour before hitting a street sign and sliding down a hill.
- No riders were inside, and the driver was able to exit after the crash.
On Sunday, a Waymo autonomous van lost control on a narrow residential street in Echo Park, striking several parked cars and damaging a street sign. Surveillance footage captured the vehicle accelerating past the curb, climbing a hillside, and colliding with multiple vehicles before coming to a stop after losing its tires. The incident has prompted questions about the safety of self-driving technology.
Incident Overview
Surveillance cameras from a nearby residence recorded the van traveling at high speed along a residential street. At one point, the car was on the hillside instead of staying on the roadway, striking a street sign before sliding into a line of parked cars. The impact knocked the sign down and forced the van into several parked vehicles, tearing the driver-side door of one car and heavily damaging the rear bumper of another. The front bumper of the van was severely damaged, and the airbags deployed.
Video Evidence
The footage showed the van moving at an estimated 40 miles per hour, a speed far above the typical 5 to 10 miles per hour posted for that narrow street. A neighbor, Salvador Donantonio, who captured the footage, said the incident happened “really fast.”
> “When I saw a car that was coming from the corner, so I just saw that he was coming faster. Then he went up to the hill,” Donantonio said.
Driver Account
After the vehicle crashed into a neighbor’s car, Donantonio ran outside and saw the driver. He pulled the driver out of the van, noting that the employee appeared hurt by the airbags. The driver, who was not named, said he was trying to hit the brake but had lost control.
> “I was trying to hit the brake, but I lost control,” the driver said.
Company Response
Waymo officials told NBC Los Angeles that an “autonomous specialist” was manually driving the van when it lost control. The company said the driver was able to exit the vehicle on his own and that no one else was injured. Officials also noted that there were no riders inside the vehicle.
Impact and Safety Concerns
The crash highlighted potential risks associated with autonomous vehicles operating in residential areas. Residents expressed concern about the speed at which the van was traveling and the lack of passengers inside. The incident will likely prompt further investigation into Waymo’s safety protocols and the training of its autonomous specialists.
- Speed exceeding posted limits.
- Lack of riders during autonomous operation.
- Driver’s ability to exit safely.
Key Takeaways
While the van’s crash caused significant property damage, no injuries were reported. The event underscores the need for rigorous safety measures in self-driving technology and transparent incident reporting.
