Waymo's AVs Safer Than Human Drivers, Swiss Re Study Finds

A study conducted by Swiss Re, one of the world's leading reinsurers, has provided compelling evidence that Waymo's autonomous driving technology is significantly safer than human-driven vehicles. The research, which analysed auto liability claims related to 25.3 million fully autonomous miles driven by Waymo, compares autonomous and human-driven vehicle safety performance.
The study builds upon previous research by leveraging liability claims data as a proxy for at-fault collisions, demonstrating that Waymo's autonomous driving system outperforms the general driving population and even the most advanced human-driven vehicles equipped with modern safety technology.
As Waymo continues to scale its operations in cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, the results reinforce the safety benefits of autonomous mobility.
Remarkable safety gains over human drivers
Swiss Re's extensive dataset, which includes more than 500,000 claims covering more than 200 billion miles of exposure, was used as a benchmark to compare human driving performance against Waymo's autonomous technology. The findings are staggering:
- 88% reduction in property damage claims for Waymo's autonomous fleet compared to human-driven vehicles.
- 92% reduction in bodily injury claims, further cementing the safety advantage of autonomous driving.
In real-world numbers, across the analysed 25.3 million miles, Waymo's autonomous vehicles were involved in just nine property damage claims and two bodily injury claims—both remaining open and detailed in the study. In contrast, human-driven vehicles over the same distance would expect to experience 78 property damage claims and 26 bodily injury claims.
Outperforming advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)
The study also examined Waymo's safety performance compared to newer human-driven vehicles (2018-2021) equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), such as automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and forward collision warning. Even against the advanced technology.
- 86% fewer property damage claims than ADAS-equipped vehicles.
- 90% fewer bodily injury claims compared to human drivers using the latest safety features.
The findings reinforce the potential of autonomous vehicles to reduce traffic accidents, injuries and associated costs.
Independent validation of Waymo's safety record
The results align with Waymo's internal safety impact assessments, which indicate that across 25 million fully autonomous miles, their self-driving technology has led to fewer serious collisions, independent of fault. The study provides robust evidence that Waymo vehicles had minimal responsibility in most incidents they were involved in.
Mauricio Peña, Chief Safety Officer at Waymo states:
"Auto insurance claims data, traditionally used to assess human driver liability and risk, is a powerful tool in evaluating the safety performance of autonomous vehicles.
"This is a truly groundbreaking study that not only validates the Waymo Driver's strong safety record but also provides a scalable framework for ongoing assessment of the impact autonomous vehicles make on road safety."
The role of insurance data in advancing autonomous technology
Swiss Re highlights how insurance data can be instrumental in evaluating the real-world safety of autonomous vehicles.
Ali Shahkarami, Global Head of P&C Solutions at Swiss Re, highlighted the broader implications of the study:
"Our research shows how insurance data can help evaluate autonomous vehicle safety and provide the framework needed to support widespread adoption. Analysing a larger dataset across multiple cities deepened our understanding of how this technology performs in real-world conditions. These promising results help underscore the potential of this technology to create a safer future for our roads."
The insurance industry is also taking note of the study's significance.
Chris Moore, President of Apollo ibott, a Lloyd's of London Syndicate, applauded Waymo's commitment to transparency and safety, stating: "It is great to see Waymo placing such an emphasis on the importance of public acceptance of Autonomous Driving System technology and we agree it can only be achieved through education and the sharing of data.
The report provided a staggering benchmark in a 90% lower claims frequency compared to human driving of newer vehicles with the most advanced driving assistance technology. We highly commend Waymo for its work and look forward to future study releases as we continue to move to an autonomous future of transportation."
A commitment to safer roads
Waymo's latest study, conducted in collaboration with Swiss Re, provides compelling evidence of the safety benefits of autonomous driving technology. With significantly lower accident and liability rates than human-driven vehicles, even those equipped with the latest ADAS features, Waymo sets a new road safety standard.
As it continues to expand its autonomous operations across the US, Waymo remains committed to transparency, rigorous evaluation and sharing valuable insights with regulators, insurers and the public. With each mile driven, the autonomous future is becoming safer and more promising for all road users.
Stay informed and inspired with the EV Magazine community by signing up for our free weekly newsletter. Each week, receive in your inbox the latest industry news and in-depth insights into the world of electric vehicles, sustainability and cutting-edge innovations
Subscribe now, don’t miss the opportunity to stay ahead in the fast-evolving EV industry.
EV Magazine is a BizClik brand.