Autonomous vehicles, or AVs, are cars that use sensors, cameras, and software to drive themselves, with no person controlling the wheel. Self-driving cars are no longer a distant idea of the future. Waymo already gives rides in more than a dozen U.S. cities, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Austin, Denver, and Miami, and reports more than 200 million fully autonomous miles driven. These vehicles are heading to Michigan roads next, and a new safety study offers insight into how these vehicles compare with human drivers. 

What the New Research Found

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that Waymo’s driverless vehicles were involved in 68% fewer crashes per mile than human drivers, based on crashes a person would typically report to police. Results varied by city. Austin actually saw a slightly higher crash rate, though researchers noted the sample size there was too small to draw firm conclusions. Overall, Waymo vehicles also had 85% fewer single-vehicle crashes and 81% fewer injury crashes per mile. 

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) responded positively to the findings. Its CEO said the goal for driverless vehicles should be progress rather than perfection, noting that human drivers are responsible for more than 36,000 deaths on U.S. roads each year. 

There is not enough public data yet to track AV safety at scale. Waymo is currently the only company that shares its mileage, so only its crash rate can be calculated. Researchers also had to factor in that about half of human-driver crashes go unreported. 

Detroit Launch Ahead, Testing Already Underway in Michigan

Waymo plans to launch in Detroit later this year, though an exact launch date has not been announced. For now, vehicles are still being tested with a trained specialist behind the wheel. WDIV reported that Detroit will be Waymo’s first Midwest location. 

Many Michiganders want to know how a robotaxi will handle our roads. Waymo says it starts in every new city by using human drivers to learn local streets, including the “Michigan left.” As for weather, Waymo says it has tested in some of the snowiest conditions in the country, including the Upper Peninsula, and that small heaters and wipers keep its sensors clear. 

Other companies are testing driverless technology in Michigan as well. Ann Arbor-based May Mobility offers public, on-demand autonomous rides, including a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Detroit also launched its Connect autonomous shuttle pilot in 2024, which still uses a safety operator behind the wheel. 

Where the Technology Still Falls Short 

Waymo’s record is still not perfect, and the company has faced several well-documented issues: 

• School buses. Federal regulators opened an investigation after reports that Waymo vehicles failed to stop for school buses with flashing lights. Austin’s school district documented 19 instances of Waymo vehicles passing its buses, and Waymo issued a voluntary software recall in response. 
• Flooded roads. In May 2026, Waymo recalled nearly 4,000 vehicles after they slowed, but did not stop, at flooded roads. In one case, an empty robotaxi was swept away by floodwater. 
• Construction zones. In June 2026, Waymo recalled its vehicles after at least 13 vehicles drove into closed freeway construction zones. The company pulled its vehicles off highways while it developed a fix. 
• Power outages and stalled rides. Waymo vehicles stopped in traffic during widespread power outages in San Francisco. In another widely shared incident, a passenger headed to the Phoenix airport was trapped in a car that kept circling a parking lot. 

These issues show that the technology is still improving as it learns to operate on roads shared with real people. 

What This Means for Michigan Drivers, Riders and Pedestrians

Michigan already has laws covering automated vehicles. When a vehicle’s automated driving system, one built to operate without a human, is turned on, state law treats that system as the driver for purposes of following traffic laws. For certain self-driving vehicles, the manufacturer must accept liability if the automated system was in control and at fault, subject to Michigan’s No-Fault law. This is different from the driver-assist features found in many privately owned cars, where the person behind the wheel still needs to watch the road and be ready to take over. 

If you are injured in a crash involving a self-driving or driver-assist vehicle, a few steps can help: 

• Get medical care immediately, then report the accident to the police. 
• Take photos and note the company name, vehicle details, and any visible ID numbers. 
• Write down what occurred while it is fresh in your mind. 
• Do not try to retrieve data from the other vehicle on your own. 

Driverless vehicles are arriving in Michigan, and this new data suggests they may make roads safer overall, though the technology clearly still has room to grow. As more autonomous vehicles share the road with drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, questions about responsibility after a crash will become more common.