TechCrunch Mobility: The hidden human cost of robotaxis
An investigative report reveals Waymo and Zoox test drivers sustained over two dozen injuries from hard braking, alongside funding updates.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Waymo and Zoox test drivers sustained over two dozen injuries in 2024 and 2025
- Injuries stemmed from hard braking and sudden movements of autonomous vehicles
- Autonomous box truck startup Gatik secured $200 million in its largest funding round
- Waymo announced expansion plans into international markets including Munich, Germany
Proponents of autonomous vehicle technology have long argued that self-driving cars will reduce crashes and improve road safety. While evidence supports this claim, it does not mean there hasn't been a physical toll on the individuals who work or have worked for the companies developing this advanced technology.
Sean O’Kane, senior reporter for special projects, examined data submitted to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and discovered that test drivers for Waymo and Zoox suffered more than two dozen injuries across 2024 and 2025 resulting from hard braking or other sudden maneuvers executed by the autonomous vehicles.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
In certain instances, these workers were sidelined for months after experiencing injuries such as whiplash when the AVs stopped abruptly and forcefully. Furthermore, the report notes that this issue likely extends beyond Waymo and Zoox, as test drivers at other AV developers may be experiencing similar injuries but their employers are exempt from OSHA reporting requirements.
The hidden human cost within the autonomous vehicle industry highlights a critical oversight in how safety is measured. While media attention often focuses on software algorithms and sensor suites, the frontline human workers enduring physical strains during the testing phase face tangible occupational hazards. Increased regulatory scrutiny from agencies like OSHA marks an essential step toward ensuring that workplace safety keeps pace with autonomous mobility innovation.
In other industry developments, Gatik, the autonomous box truck startup delivering freight from distribution centers to retail stores like Walmart, raised $200 million in fresh funding led by Qatar Investment Authority and Koch Disruptive Technologies, alongside a multiyear commercial agreement with PepsiCo part of $600 million in contracted revenue. Meanwhile, Indian autonomous drone startup Airbound raised $37 million in a Series A round, and Rhode Island electric seaglider maker Regent Craft secured $120 million in a Series B round along with $120 million in debt capital.
Waymo recently shared 10 lessons learned after surpassing 200 million autonomous miles, noting that multimodal sensors remain indispensable, directly opposing Tesla's camera-only strategy. Waymo also highlighted its use of vision language models and a custom 5 nm ASIC chip designed to process raw data before reaching the core system, while announcing plans to launch operations in Munich, Germany.
Source: TechCrunch
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