A Waymo vehicle operating in autonomous mode was involved in a crash Saturday in Las Vegas, after a vehicle driven by a human lost control of their SUV, striking the robotaxi, according to a company spokesperson.
The crash, which occurred on Polaris Avenue near West Sunset Road, occurred when an SUV driver traveling behind the Waymo lost control and struck the robotaxi and then a power pole, the Waymo spokesperson said.
The Waymo was operating in autonomous mode and had no occupants in the robotaxi at the time of the crash, but an unidentified number of people who were in the SUV were taken to an area hospital with undisclosed injuries, according to the Waymo spokesperson.
Waymo announced on July 8 that they were set to begin testing fully autonomous rides in Las Vegas without a safety driver in the vehicles.
The driverless rides are only available to Waymo employees during the initial launch, while the robotaxis otherwise travel around the Las Vegas Valley without occupants.
Waymo has been conducting test rides around the Las Vegas Valley since November, with the removal of safety drivers being the next step toward offering rides to the public. A timeline to when passengers will be available to the public has not been announced.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.
