A warning from the US NHTSA report: How far has autonomous driving technology come? In the spring of 2026, the debate surrounding the safety of autonomous driving technology remains heated. According to the monthly Autonomous Driving Systems (ADS) crash report released by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in April 2026, a total of 100 collision incidents involving vehicles equipped with autonomous driving systems were reported during the period up to March 16. While technology is advancing daily, this number indicates that autonomous vehicles still have a long way to go before earning complete trust. Notably, this report not only exposed technical limitations but also shed new light on the challenges facing the industry as a whole. Waymo recorded the highest number of incidents in the report, with a total of 80 collision accidents reported. This represents an overwhelming 80% of all reported incidents. A distinctive feature of Waymo's accidents is that most occurred while the vehicles were stationary. Specifically, these included rear-end collisions, crashes while reversing, and incidents where other vehicles scraped parked Waymo cars. These types of incidents suggest that autonomous vehicles exhibit vulnerabilities in their interaction with the surrounding traffic environment even when stationary. In terms of injury incidents, Waymo reported a total of 7 injury accidents, while Zoox reported 2. Most injuries were assessed as minor, but there is one notable case. The only 'minor injury' incident that required hospitalization occurred when a Waymo vehicle was parked at a curb. The accident happened while passengers were boarding the vehicle, illustrating the need for safety improvements even in the autonomous vehicle's stopping and boarding/alighting processes. Beyond Waymo, several other autonomous driving companies also appeared in the accident statistics. Avride recorded 12 incidents, Zoox 5, and Motional 3, demonstrating that technological instability is not an issue confined to a single company. Motional's cases, in particular, are noteworthy as they include highly unusual circumstances. Among the three incidents reported by Motional were a case where a vehicle being pursued by police struck a Motional autonomous vehicle, an incident where a pedestrian threw an object at the vehicle causing damage, and a collision that occurred in what was presumed to be a reckless driving situation. These examples suggest that the challenges faced by autonomous vehicles extend beyond mere technical issues, encompassing societal and infrastructural aspects. Avride's data also provides interesting insights. Two of the 12 incidents occurred while a safety operator had disengaged autonomous mode. Specifically, a collision happened when a safety operator, after manually taking control, reversed at an intersection. This is a significant example demonstrating that not only the technology itself but also the intervention and judgment of safety operators can contribute to accidents. This highlights the potential risks that can arise during the handover of control between autonomous driving systems and human drivers. Analysis of 100 Accidents: How Should Korea Respond Amidst Global AV Developments? Another point to note in this NHTSA report is the absence of mileage data for each company. This makes it difficult to accurately compare accident rates. For instance, while Waymo recorded the highest number of incidents at 80, its accident rate might actually be lower if its operational mileage significantly surpasses that of other companies. Conversely, the accident rate relative to mileage could be high. NHTSA acknowledged these limitations but emphasized the need for continuous observation, noting the high number of incidents reported by specific companies. So, what relevance does this autonomous vehicle accident data hold for Korea? Currently, autonomous driving technology development and real-world implementation are actively underway in Korea. Major domestic automakers and IT companies are entering the autonomous driving sector, and test drives on Korean roads are steadily increasing. This NHTSA report can serve as a crucial reference for Korean autonomous driving developers and regulatory authorities. It is necessary to analyze the types and patterns of accidents occurring in the U.S. to build systems that can proactively prevent similar hazardous situations in Korea's road environment. Korea's road environment, in particular, differs significantly from that of the U.S. Narrow roads, complex intersections, high pedestrian density, and unique traffic culture can all present additional challenges for autonomous driving systems. Therefore, before discussing the safety of the technology, it is essential to consider how to create an optimal operating environment for autonomous vehicles and how to institutionally guarantee vehicle-pedestrian safety in conjunction with technological development. This imp
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