A robotaxi crash feels like it should be complicated. There is no driver to exchange insurance with and no one to give a statement to the police. In practice the claim is often simpler than a normal crash, for two reasons. The company operating the car is a large, insured business that cannot say it has no money, and the car kept a continuous video and sensor record of what happened.
The hard part is fault. Robotaxi companies must report their crashes to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, including minor ones and ones where a human driver hit them, and their reports often describe what happened in detail. We downloaded NHTSA’s public crash report data for automated driving systems and counted every report from July 2025 through June 2026. The results are below, followed by what they mean if you were hurt.
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The Short Answer
If a driverless robotaxi hits you, your claim is against the company that operates it, such as Waymo, Zoox or Tesla, and its insurer. Nobody publishes what these companies pay injured people, so values follow the same rules as any crash: the injury, the treatment, the lost income and how clear the fault is. What is different is the money behind the claim and the evidence. California, where more than half of Waymo’s driverless miles have been driven, requires every company operating autonomous vehicles to carry at least $5 million in insurance, a surety bond or proof of self insurance, far above the $30,000 per person minimum for an ordinary driver. And the car itself recorded the crash from every angle.
The catch is that a large share of robotaxi crashes are caused by the humans around them. In our count, more than half of Waymo’s reported crashes happened while the Waymo was stopped or parked. If that was your crash, the claim may be against another driver, and the robotaxi’s footage becomes your best witness.
A Year of Robotaxi Crash Reports, Company by Company
Under NHTSA’s Standing General Order on crash reporting, companies running automated driving systems must report crashes on public roads. NHTSA publishes the reports with personal details removed. The table counts every report for crashes from July 2025 through June 2026, using the latest version of each report. Injury levels are the ones alleged in the report, not confirmed by a court or a doctor.
| Company | Crash reports | Any injury alleged | Hospitalization alleged | Vehicle stopped or parked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waymo | 1,052 | 106 | 36 | 56% |
| Avride (safety driver on board) | 71 | 1 | 1 | 20% |
| Zoox | 61 | 9 | 2 | 36% |
| Tesla | 24 | 2 | 1 | 46% |
| May Mobility (safety driver on board) | 16 | 3 | 2 | 13% |
| All others (Motional, Aurora, Nuro, Beep and others) | 28 | 1 | 0 | 14% |
| All companies | 1,252 | 122 | 42 | 52% |
Source: FairSettlement.org analysis of NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 incident reports for automated driving systems (public file downloaded September 26, 2026), incidents July 2025 through June 2026, latest version of each report. Crash counts are not adjusted for miles driven; Waymo’s fleet drives far more than any other. A report is filed whoever was at fault.
Two cautions before anyone reads this as a league table. First, it counts crashes, not miles, and Waymo drives vastly more miles than everyone else combined, so its count is naturally highest. Second, a report is required whoever caused the crash, and many are minor: a car backing into a parked Waymo, a pickup rolling into one at a red light. Of Waymo’s 1,052 reports, 922 alleged property damage only.
What the data is good for is showing what these crashes look like. Across all companies, the robotaxi was stopped or parked in 52 percent of reports. When a Waymo was moving, its median speed just before the crash was 9 mph, and 57 percent of moving crashes happened at 10 mph or less. The other vehicle was most often a passenger car (345 Waymo reports), an SUV (250), a pickup (112), a heavy truck (104) or a bus (44). Crashes with people outside a vehicle were rare in this period: 5 cyclists, 4 scooter or skateboard riders and 3 pedestrians in Waymo’s reports, and two of those three pedestrians were Waymo passengers who had stepped out of a moving car.
Inside Waymo’s Reports: Where and How
Waymo’s reports came from California (646), Arizona (170), Texas (140), Georgia (55) and Florida (26), with a handful from Tennessee, Washington DC, Colorado and Pennsylvania. By city, San Francisco led with 303, then Los Angeles (226), Austin (116), Phoenix (97), Atlanta (55), Tempe (38), Scottsdale (22), Miami (16) and Santa Monica (16). Monthly reports roughly doubled over the year, from 56 in July 2025 to 107 in June 2026, as the fleet and its service areas grew.
The most serious reports in the file show why fault is the whole case. These are Waymo’s own accounts in its reports to NHTSA:
- Tempe, Arizona, September 2025, fatal. A Waymo slowing to turn right, yielding to a pedestrian, was hit from behind by a motorcycle. The report lists the crash as fatal.
- Scottsdale, Arizona, June 2026, serious injury. A Waymo stopped at a red light was hit from behind by an SUV Waymo describes as traveling at a high rate of speed.
- Santa Monica, California, January 2026, minor injury. A child ran into the street from behind a double parked SUV near an elementary school at drop off time. The Waymo braked hard from about 17 mph and hit the child at about 6 mph. NHTSA opened an investigation.
- Dallas, Texas, August 2026, fatal (just after our 12 month window). An SUV traveling the other way struck a pedestrian walking in the road, throwing the pedestrian into a Waymo that was slowing to yield.
Waymo’s narratives are the company’s version of events, and a claim would test them against the video, the police report and witnesses. But they show the pattern: in most serious robotaxi crashes, a human driver is part of the story.
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Get my free case reviewAre Robotaxis Safer Than Human Drivers?
Waymo says yes, by a wide margin. On its safety hub, it reports 271.3 million rider only miles through June 2026 and, compared with human drivers over the same kind of roads in its cities, 82 percent fewer crashes with any injury, 95 percent fewer crashes with serious injury or worse, 93 percent fewer pedestrian injury crashes and 86 percent fewer cyclist injury crashes. Those comparisons are Waymo’s own analysis of the same federal crash reports against human benchmarks. The raw counts above cannot confirm or refute them, because they are not adjusted for miles, but they are consistent with them: most reports are low speed and many involve the robotaxi standing still.
For an injured person, the safety record is beside the point. A safer driver can still be at fault in your crash, and a robotaxi that is safer on average can still make the wrong call at one intersection. The claim is decided on what happened that day.
Who Pays After a Robotaxi Crash
| What happened | Claim against | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| A robotaxi hit you (in your car, walking or cycling) | The company operating the robotaxi and its insurer | With no driver, the operator answers for how its system drove. The vehicle or software maker can share liability if a defect caused the crash |
| A human driver hit the robotaxi you were riding in | The human driver’s insurance first | The robotaxi’s footage usually settles fault quickly. The company’s own coverage may also apply |
| You were hurt inside a robotaxi with no other vehicle involved | The operating company | Hard braking, doors and getting out are the usual causes. The app’s terms may send your claim to arbitration |
| A human driver hit you and a robotaxi was nearby | The human driver | Ask the robotaxi company to preserve its footage. It may be the only neutral witness |
| A robotaxi with a safety monitor or remote operator | The operating company | A safety monitor or remote operator works for the company, so the claim still runs against the company |
The practical advantage over a normal crash is solvency. An ordinary driver in California needs only $30,000 per person in liability coverage, and many carry exactly that. A robotaxi company operating there must maintain $5 million in insurance, a bond or self insurance, and the operators are large, well funded companies. A serious injury claim against a robotaxi company is not capped at a minimum policy, which is the single biggest limit on what most crash victims recover. Our bodily injury guide explains how policy limits cap ordinary claims.
What Robotaxi Injury Claims Are Worth
No robotaxi company publishes its settlements, and most resolve privately. So the honest answer is that these claims are valued the same way as any car crash claim, by injury and treatment, with the insurance ceiling largely removed. The public markers are few:
- Cruise, 2024. In October 2023 a Cruise robotaxi in San Francisco ran over a pedestrian who had been thrown into its path by a hit and run driver, then dragged her about 20 feet while trying to pull over. Cruise reached a settlement with her in May 2024 reported at $8 million to $12 million. California suspended Cruise’s driverless permits, and General Motors later shut down the Cruise robotaxi business.
- Tesla Autopilot, 2025. Not a robotaxi case, but the closest jury verdict on automated driving. A Miami federal jury in August 2025 found Tesla 33 percent responsible for a 2019 Key Largo crash involving its Autopilot driver assist system, assessed $129 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages, and Tesla’s share came to about $243 million. In February 2026 the judge refused to overturn it, and Tesla is expected to appeal.
The Tesla case shows the difference between two technologies people lump together. Autopilot is driver assistance: a human is supposed to be driving, so fault is shared between the driver and, possibly, the carmaker. A robotaxi has no driver at all, so there is no one else to share the blame with on the robotaxi’s side. For the injury ranges themselves, our car accident settlement statistics page has typical amounts by injury.
Hurt as a Robotaxi Passenger
Passengers are hurt in robotaxis in the same ways as in any car: another vehicle hits them, or the car brakes hard. The NHTSA file also shows a robotaxi specific pattern. In at least two reports, a Scottsdale case in November 2025 and a San Francisco case in June 2026, a passenger unbuckled, opened a door while the Waymo was still moving and stepped out, and a rear wheel then made contact with the passenger. The Scottsdale report alleges a moderate injury with a hospital visit.
Before your first ride you accepted the company’s terms of service. Robotaxi and rideshare terms typically require individual arbitration of claims against the company. The Center for Auto Safety reports that Waymo’s rider terms do, with a 30 day window to opt out by email after you accept them. Arbitration changes where the claim is heard, and you still have the claim. It also does not bind anyone else: a human driver who hit your robotaxi is still sued in court. Our passenger injury guide and rideshare claims guide cover the parts that work the same way.
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The Evidence a Robotaxi Keeps, and How to Get It
A robotaxi records its surroundings continuously with cameras and other sensors, and logs its speed, braking and decisions. That record usually answers the fault question better than any witness. The company has it and you do not, so the order of events matters:
- Send a written request to preserve the data, in the first days after the crash, to the company’s legal or claims department. Name the date, time, location and the vehicle if you know it. A lawyer’s preservation letter carries more weight.
- Get the police report. In California, since July 1, 2026, officers can also issue a notice of autonomous vehicle noncompliance to the company when a driverless car breaks a traffic law, and that notice goes on the record.
- Check NHTSA’s public crash data in the weeks after. If the company reported your crash, the report may appear there with personal details removed, though some companies have withheld their narratives as confidential.
- Collect your own evidence: photos of the scene and the robotaxi’s markings and plate, your dash cam, witness names, and any nearby business cameras before they record over.
Rules, Recalls and Investigations in 2026
| What | Detail | Date |
|---|---|---|
| California AB 1777 | Police can issue notices of noncompliance to autonomous vehicle companies. Driverless cars must carry two way communication with a remote operator, and companies must keep an emergency response line | July 1, 2026 |
| California Vehicle Code 38750 | Companies testing or deploying autonomous vehicles must maintain $5 million in insurance, a surety bond or self insurance | In force |
| Zoox recall 26E044 | Software on 105 vehicles may fail to detect heavy smoke and enter low visibility areas, particularly active emergency scenes. Fixed by a software update | July 2026 |
| NHTSA investigation PE26001 | Opened after a Waymo hit a child near a Santa Monica elementary school | January 2026 |
A recall or an open investigation does not prove fault in your crash, but it can show that a company knew about a type of failure. If your crash resembles one, your lawyer will want the recall file.
What to Do After a Robotaxi Crash
- Get medical care, and tell the doctor it was a car crash. Our guide to delayed injury symptoms explains why same day care matters.
- Call the police and get the report number. There is no driver to trade information with, so the report is how the crash gets documented.
- Photograph the robotaxi: its plate, fleet number and any damage, plus the whole scene.
- Report it to the company through its support line or app, and ask in writing that the video and data be preserved.
- Do not accept a quick offer through the app or a claims team before you know the extent of your injuries.
- Check your deadline. The statute of limitations by state table has it. If you were a passenger, also read the app’s terms for its claim process.
When You Need a Lawyer
For a minor crash where a human driver clearly hit you, a robotaxi being nearby changes little. For anything else, a robotaxi claim is one of the stronger cases to bring with a lawyer: the defendant can pay, the evidence exists, and the company has a legal team reviewing its own footage. Preservation letters, NHTSA records and arbitration rules are all easier with help. Our analysis of attorney impact shows what representation typically changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you sue Waymo if a robotaxi hits you?
Yes. With no human driver, an injury claim goes against the company operating the robotaxi and its insurer. Waymo, like every company running driverless cars in California, must maintain at least $5 million in insurance, a surety bond or self insurance. The claim is decided on fault, and Waymo's vehicles record video and sensor data of every crash, so ask the company in writing to preserve it right away.
How many crashes have Waymo robotaxis had?
In NHTSA's public crash report data for automated driving systems, Waymo filed 1,052 reports for crashes from July 2025 through June 2026, 84 percent of all such reports. 922 alleged property damage only, 106 alleged an injury and 36 alleged a hospitalization. In 56 percent of Waymo's reports the Waymo was stopped or parked. Reports are required whoever caused the crash, and the counts are not adjusted for Waymo's much larger mileage.
Are robotaxis safer than human drivers?
Waymo reports that over 271.3 million rider only miles through June 2026 its vehicles had 82 percent fewer injury crashes and 95 percent fewer serious injury crashes than human drivers on comparable roads, based on its own analysis. Federal crash report data shows most robotaxi crashes are low speed and many involve the robotaxi standing still. A safer average does not decide an individual claim, which turns on what happened in that crash.
Who pays if a human driver hits the robotaxi I am riding in?
The human driver's insurance pays first, as in any crash. The robotaxi's recorded video and sensor data usually settles fault quickly, which helps you. The robotaxi company's own coverage can also come into play. Claims against the robotaxi company itself may have to go through arbitration under the app's terms, but claims against the other driver do not.
How much did Cruise pay the pedestrian its robotaxi dragged?
Cruise reached a settlement in May 2024 with the woman its robotaxi ran over and dragged about 20 feet in San Francisco in October 2023, after a hit and run driver threw her into its path. The amount was reported at $8 million to $12 million. It remains the only publicly reported settlement figure for a robotaxi injury. California suspended Cruise's driverless permits, and General Motors later ended the Cruise robotaxi business.
Do I have to use arbitration if I was hurt riding in a Waymo?
Probably, for claims against Waymo itself. Robotaxi and rideshare apps typically require riders to resolve claims against the company in individual arbitration, and the Center for Auto Safety reports that Waymo's rider terms include a 30 day window to opt out by email after accepting them. Arbitration does not apply to claims against anyone else, such as a human driver who hit your robotaxi.
How do I get the robotaxi's video of my crash?
Ask the company in writing, as soon as possible, to preserve all video, sensor and log data for the date, time and place of your crash, and keep a copy of your request. A lawyer's preservation letter carries more weight and the data can then be obtained in the claim or lawsuit. Also check NHTSA's public crash report data, where the company's report and narrative of your crash may appear with personal details removed.
The Bottom Line
Most robotaxi crashes in the federal data are minor, and in the serious ones a human driver is frequently involved. In the year of federal crash reports we counted, more than half of Waymo’s crashes happened while it was standing still, and most of the rest were at low speeds. That is good news for the public and a specific warning for anyone hurt in one of these crashes: the case is about fault, and the company holds the best evidence of it.
If a robotaxi was part of your crash, get treated, get the police report, and ask the company in writing to keep its footage. There is no minimum policy standing between you and a fair settlement. There is only the question of who caused it.