Waymo crashes 1/3 as much as a human driver, says IIHS – with some caveats:
An independent study finds Waymo robotaxis crash less than humans - but there are ...
electrek.co/2026/07/25/waymo-is-2-3-safer-than-a-human-driver-says-iihs-with-some-caveats/
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IIHS: Waymo Crashes Less Often, but Comparison Has LimitsIIHS compared data from 2021–2024; Waymo recorded 1.28 crashes per million miles versus 4.06 for human drivers.
Key FactsJul 26, 2026 · Reading time: ~30 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: electrek.co
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: electrek.co
- Across roughly 50 million autonomously driven miles, IIHS recorded 1.28 Waymo crashes per million miles versus 4.06 for human drivers, or 68% fewer crashes serious enough for an average person to report to police.
- Waymo crashes tended to be less severe and, according to the analysis, generally were not caused by the company.
- The results held in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, while Waymo had a slightly higher crash rate than humans in Austin, where the dataset was small.
- The comparison remains limited because companies must report crashes but not necessarily autonomous miles, minor human fender-benders are often missing, and Waymo operated more often on lower-speed streets.
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Waymo crashes 1/3 as much as a human driver, says IIHS – with some caveats: An independent study finds Waymo robotaxis crash less than humans - but there are ...
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