The road to automated driving systems was paved in San Francisco with the arrival of self-driving cars from Waymo, Cruise, and Zoox. For some cyclists, these new additions to Bay Area streets have only increased the number of rideshares that pose a challenge in bike lanes, at intersections, and on roads meant to be shared with other users.
In June, Bay Area Bicycle Law filed a lawsuit naming Waymo and its parent company Alphabet as defendants, alleging that, among other factors, a defect in their cars’ safety design known to the rideshare operator is the reason for the collision and Plaintiff’s injuries, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and economic losses.
Fellow Bay Area cyclists should be aware of the dangers self-driving cars possess and know what to do in the case of a crash where a rideshare service is at fault.
Are self-driving cars actually safer?
Companies like Waymo promise huge safety benefits. Among them, the ability to scan the road for unexpected hazards and react quickly and safely when they occur. But as many have noted, computers aren’t perfect. They too can create dangerous situations for road users, especially those who do not have the advantage of a large steel frame, four tires, and numerous safety features.
“Unforeseen errors in the perception and prediction systems of self-driving cars can and do cause them to do the wrong thing at the wrong time,” writes the Brookings Institute, which highlights a 2021 case in which “a software glitch shut down a car’s autonomous driving system, and the car’s momentum drove it into the median strip on a city street.”
In 2018, a Phoenix woman pushing her bike across a highway was killed after being struck by an Uber car in autonomous mode.
“The accident report from the National Transportation Safety Board showed that the car’s perception system first classified her as an unknown object, then as a vehicle, and finally as a bicycle, whose path it could not predict,” the Brookings Institute writes. “The car’s automatic braking system was disengaged, the safety driver was alleged to be watching a TV show on her mobile phone, and by the time she hit the brakes, it was too late.”
It’s true that technology is evolving and the ability to detect road hazards may be improving, but in Bay Area Bicycle Law’s recent case, it was a different issue that ultimately caused the crash. Waymo and Alphabet advertise a safety mechanism called “Safe Exit,” which is supposed to detect nearby cyclists and pedestrians and warn passengers to exercise caution and avoid collisions when they are exiting the car.
It’s believed the safety feature failed in this case. The passenger who opened the door into Plaintiff’s path was not alerted that a cyclist was close by. The lawsuit alleges that the company has known that the self-driving cars continue to pose “dooring” risks, but hasn’t acted to correct the problem.
This also means that Waymo may have misrepresented its safety capabilities to state regulators and downplayed risks regarding drop-offs and bike lane obstructions so that it could expand its offerings.
Comparing by numbers
What does it mean to take a driver out of the equation? It certainly means no texting and driving, no distractions, and no drinking. But it doesn’t mean the system is foolproof.
In California, the state DMV reports that autonomous vehicles have an average of about 96.7 crashes per 1,000 vehicles. Mistakes do happen, even though they may be fewer than traditional mechanisms. In 2025 already, the DMV has received nearly 60 Autonomous Vehicle Collision Reports.
For the many people who’ve been “doored” by a passenger exiting a self-driving car or been missed by an autonomous vehicle’s safety mechanisms, safety numbers are little comfort, and there should be a growing effort to alleviate and fix the problems that do exist.
“According to annual surveys from the American Automobile Association, fear of self-driving cars jumped in 2023 from 55% to 68% and has not declined significantly in 2024,” the Brookings Institute writes. “Trust in the new technology plunged from 15% in 2021 to nine percent in the last two years. When 91% of an industry’s potential customers are skeptical of its product, the industry has a trust problem.”
Let us help you
Sustaining an injury in a crash with a self-driving car can be daunting, but the staff at Bay Area Bicycle Law are here to assist.
We work with clients all over California and are one of the state’s only personal injury law firms that specializes exclusively in bicycle accidents, even when there isn’t a driver behind the wheel. We handle cases in your area, and there are many benefits to working with a specialist.
Contact us today for a free consultation by email or by calling (415) 466-8717. Years of advocacy for bicycle crash victims have seasoned our attorneys with the necessary skills to handle bicycle accident cases with the utmost level of professional expertise. And as cyclist advocates, we will always offer you legal advice that is in your best interest.