Waymo Robotaxi Strikes Serve Delivery Bot in Los Angeles Intersection
A Waymo robotaxi hits a Serve Robotics delivery robot at a Los Angeles intersection, sparking questions about liability between autonomous vehicle operators. Neither vehicle suffers damage after the low-speed collision.
A Waymo robotaxi and a Serve Robotics sidewalk delivery bot collide at a Los Angeles intersection, according to a video circulating on social media. The footage shows the Serve bot crossing a West Hollywood street at night, reaching the curb, and backing up slightly to correct its path before a turning Waymo vehicle strikes it. The person who posted the video claims the delivery bot runs a red light prior to the crash, although this remains unclear from the visual evidence alone.
Waymo confirms that its autonomous Driver system correctly identifies the delivery robot as an inanimate object rather than a human or animal. The system is programmed to adjust its caution levels based on the classification of road users, showing greater care around pedestrians and children. In this specific incident, the delivery robot pauses at the curb before driving directly into the turning lane just as the Waymo enters the intersection, prompting the Waymo system to apply hard braking before impact.
The collision occurs at a low speed of 4 miles per hour, leaving both autonomous vehicles completely undamaged. The two machines remain locked together for about a minute before eventually separating and continuing on their respective routes. This rare encounter between two different types of autonomous machines highlights a growing dilemma in the industry regarding liability and how companies determine which robot operator is at fault when driverless technologies crash into each other.