Waymo and Zoox test drivers injured by autonomous vehicle maneuvers

Data submitted to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reveals that more than 20 test drivers for robotaxi developers Waymo and Zoox were injured during road testing between 2024 and 2025.

The injuries were not caused by collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians, but rather by the autonomous systems themselves. Sudden braking maneuvers and unpredictable vehicle movements—often triggered by the software misidentifying obstacles—resulted in injuries such as whiplash, sprains, wrist fractures, and spinal pain. In some instances, workers were unable to return to duty for several months.

At Zoox, an Amazon-owned company, incidents reportedly involved sudden full braking at speeds exceeding 70 km/h. Waymo, an Alphabet subsidiary, also saw an increase in reported incidents involving its test drivers, many of whom are employed through the mobility service provider Transdev.