OSHA reports driver injuries in Waymo and Zoox robotaxi tests
Waymo and Zoox's robotaxi projects are expanding fast, but that has come with a catch: test drivers are getting hurt more often.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration data show more than two dozen injuries in 2024 and 2025, mostly from sudden braking or the cars acting up.
Some drivers ended up with sprains, strains, and whiplash, sometimes needing weeks or even months off work.
Transdev 16 injuries, Zoox 8 cases
Transdev (the company managing Waymo's test drivers) logged 16 injuries in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.
Zoox reported eight cases tied to "brake jabs," where the car slams on the brakes because it mistakes debris for danger, a problem even a recall could not fully fix.
Waymo says safety is its top priority, but Zoox says it follows necessary reporting requirements and takes injuries seriously, and with these programs growing so quickly, it is clear there is still work to do to keep everyone safe.