Waymo self-driving car hits public bus

A Waymo self-driving Lexus car being tested by Google drove into the side of a public bus near the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, damaging the bus and car. All drivers and passengers escaped harm.

According to the accident report, the Lexus had intended to turn right off a major boulevard but stopped after detecting sandbags around a storm drain near the intersection, navigated to its left and tried to slip in front of the bus, which it collided with. 

In its accident report, Google said 'We clearly bear some responsibility, because if our car hadn’t moved there wouldn’t have been a collision.' It was the first time the company had accepted some degree of responsibility for one of is vehicles causing a crash.

It also said it has reviewed the incident and changed the cars' software to appreciate that buses may not be as inclined to yield as other vehicles.