_Incident · Regulatory action_

# NHTSA opens Preliminary Evaluation PE26-001 after a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near a Santa Monica school

Canonical ID: `e75fd4fc-e9e1-4429-b332-6609ea9f7495`

- **Occurred:** 2026-01-29
- **Kind:** `regulatory_action`
- **Status (derived):** active
- **Company:** [Waymo](/companies/waymo.md) (id: `2128addc-20c8-4c31-aef5-be5ada97aede`)

On Jan 29 2026 NHTSA ODI opened Preliminary Evaluation PE26-001 after a Waymo robotaxi struck a child at low speed near Grant Elementary School in Santa Monica during drop-off (incident Jan 23 2026; minor injuries). The probe examines Waymo ADS caution and behavior in school zones. Source: NHTSA ODI; The Robot Report; CNBC.

## Sources (0)

_No sources on file._

## Common questions

### What happened in NHTSA opens Preliminary Evaluation PE26-001 after a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near a Santa Monica school?

On Jan 29 2026 NHTSA ODI opened Preliminary Evaluation PE26-001 after a Waymo robotaxi struck a child at low speed near Grant Elementary School in Santa Monica during drop-off (incident Jan 23 2026; minor injuries). The probe examines Waymo ADS caution and behavior in school zones. Source: NHTSA ODI; The Robot Report; CNBC.

### When did this incident occur?

The incident is recorded as occurring on January 29, 2026 on the DEPLOY registry. The date reflects the underlying real-world event, not the registry record's creation date.

### Who was involved in NHTSA opens Preliminary Evaluation PE26-001 after a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near a Santa Monica school?

The incident is recorded as involving Waymo on the DEPLOY registry. No specific robot model is linked to this incident in the registry.

### Has anyone responded to NHTSA opens Preliminary Evaluation PE26-001 after a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near a Santa Monica school?

No responses to this incident are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Operators, manufacturers, or affected parties can submit responses to the editorial team; absence is not a guarantee no response was issued.

### What is the current status of NHTSA opens Preliminary Evaluation PE26-001 after a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near a Santa Monica school?

This incident is an active record on the DEPLOY registry; no retraction or correction has been issued.


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