Waymo, the autonomous driving unit of Alphabet, reported that one of its autonomous cars collided with a cyclist in San Francisco on Tuesday. Fortunately, the cyclist sustained only minor scratches and left the scene independently, the company stated via email.
According to Waymo, the incident occurred at a four-way intersection where its vehicle was at a complete stop. As a large truck turned into the intersection, the Waymo car proceeded forward when it was its turn. However, the cyclist, who was behind the truck and not visible, crossed into the path of the Waymo vehicle. Despite the vehicle braking heavily upon spotting the cyclist, it was unable to avoid the collision, the company explained.
See also: Waymo’s Expansion Plans in Los Angeles Face Potential Regulatory Hurdles
The San Francisco Fire Department confirmed that a 911 call reported the collision, but the cyclist did not require hospitalization. The incident is currently under investigation by the San Francisco Police Department.
Despite efforts by Waymo to expand its autonomous service in Los Angeles, where it is conducting tests and offering rides by invitation only, resistance to robot cars persists among some lawmakers and citizens who express concerns about safety.
See also: Waymo Publishes Safety Data, Claims 85% Reduction in Crash Injuries for Autonomous Vehicles
In a separate development, GM’s Cruise self-driving car unit recently disclosed investigations by the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission following an accident involving one of its autonomous taxis that struck a pedestrian and dragged her 20 feet.
Last year, over two dozen unions urged U.S. auto safety regulators to initiate an industry-wide investigation into autonomous vehicles, citing them as “unsafe and untenable in their current form” due to a significant number of crash incidents.
