The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Friday that it has become aware of nine additional incidents that have raised concerns about the performance of Alphabet’s Waymo self-driving vehicles.
Earlier this month, the U.S. auto safety regulator initiated an investigation following 22 reports of Waymo’s autonomous taxis displaying driving behavior that potentially violated traffic safety laws or demonstrated unexpected actions, including 17 collisions.
In a letter addressed to Waymo and made public on Friday, the NHTSA stated that it has become aware of nine more similar incidents. According to the agency, several of the incidents being investigated involved collisions with clearly visible objects that a competent driver would be expected to avoid.
NHTSA further explained that the incidents included collisions with stationary and semi-stationary objects such as gates and chains, collisions with parked vehicles, and instances where the automated driving system appeared to disobey traffic safety controls.
The agency has requested Waymo to respond to a series of inquiries regarding the incidents by June 11 and provide video footage for each incident.
Waymo has not yet issued a comment on the matter. However, earlier this month, the company did not directly address the specific safety incidents highlighted by NHTSA but emphasized its pride in its performance and safety record amassed over tens of millions of autonomous miles driven.
NHTSA expressed concern that Waymo’s self-driving vehicles displaying such unexpected driving behaviors could heighten the risk of accidents, property damage, and injuries, especially considering that several incidents occurred near other road users, including pedestrians.
The ongoing investigation marks the initial phase before the agency could mandate a recall if it determines that the vehicles pose an unreasonable safety risk.
This development follows a string of investigations launched by NHTSA into the performance of self-driving vehicles, including probes into General Motors Cruise and Amazon.com’s Zoox.
In February, Waymo recalled 444 self-driving vehicles after two minor collisions occurred in quick succession in Arizona. The company cited a software error that could lead to automated vehicles inaccurately predicting the movement of a towed vehicle.
